Box Score (PDF)
 
ITHACA, N.Y. — Seton Hall scored on a header off a corner kick in the 26th minute and staved off the women's soccer team for a 1-0 victory Thursday night at Berman Field. The Big Red outshot the Pirates, 19-7, but was once again on the wrong side of a scoreline in a game that it held a territorial advantage.
 
"It sounds like a broken record, but I really think it's a really disappointing loss," head coach Patrick Farmer said. "I think that we created more chances tonight; chances in close tonight. We should have finished some. … I think we got outmuscled, for the most part. And I don't think that's something that should happen all the time."
 
Cornell (2-4) sent the first shot across bow less than four minutes into the game, when senior midfielder Elizabeth Crowell took a rip from the top of the 18-yard box that clanked high off the near post. Sophomore midfielder Jessica Ritchie was first to the rebound, but her shot was comfortably corraled by Pirates goalkeeper Anna McLean.
 
Seton Hall (4-3) then struck on straight-forward effort on a corner kick to the left of senior goalkeeper Kelsey Tierney. Frankie Maier served an in-swinger with her left foot, and Cathy Chukuka crashed into the top of the 6-yard box to power a header into the center of the net to give the visitors the lead.
 
All five of Cornell's corner kicks on the night came in the second half, including a quality chance less than three minutes after the intermission. Sophomore Carolyn Ruoff found freshman defender Kaili Gregory's head off the far post, but McLean was equal to the second header from senior defender Kailey Joyce. With the next couple of minutes, McLean secured top-spin shots from distance from Ruoff and junior forward Paige DeLoach among her six saves.
 
All told, the Big Red hit the woodwork three times on the night — but it came just as close with Crowell's shot from 20 yards in the 61st minute. With Berman's grass surface getting slick on a cool evening, the ball squeaked through McLean's gloves and over her head only to bounce a foot short of the line and spin straight back into the goalkeeper's hands.
 
Cornell's final quality chance came with 5:45 to play when a clearance of a corner kick landed on Ritchie's foot. Her shot was blocked, but sophomore defender Grace Keller served a long ball toward the far post. Freshman forward Kennedy Yearby got in position to stay onside and was first to the ball, but her lobbed shot over McLean also cleared the crossbar.
 
"It was good, it just wasn't good enough," Farmer said. "It just isn't strong enough; not good enough."
 
The Big Red hits the road for its next three games — all on artificial playing surfaces — starting with a noon Sunday game at Binghamton.