ITHACA, N.Y. – Women's hockey battled back from a one-goal deficit to secure a 1-1 draw against Penn State thanks to Diana Buckley's last-minute heroics on Tuesday afternoon at Lynah Rink.
 
"Penn State did a really nice job of slowing us down through the middle of the ice," said head coach Doug Derraugh. "We never really got a lot of odd-man situations so I don't think they took too many risks through the middle of the ice."
 
With two minutes and 17 seconds remaining in the third period and down 1-0, Cornell (5-3-1, 5-1-0 ECAC) pulled goaltender Marlene Boissonnault to allow an extra attacker onto the ice. The team took full advantage of the opportunity as Buckley sent in a shot in front of the crease that found its way across the goal line to tie the game up.
 
The game-tying score was set up by Jaime Bourbonnais who delivered the puck to Brianna Veerman from the near corner of the ice. Veerman then dished out the puck to Buckley who sent it home. The junior has now netted a goal in each of the last three games.
 
"We're always thinking to bring our best," said Boissonnault. "To play 60 minutes regardless of who is the other team. We're bringing our 'A' game regardless of our opponent and always bearing down on any opportunities we get whether it's defensive or offensive plays."
 
After neither team was able to light the lamp in the five-minute overtime period, the game officially went down as a draw.
 
Penn State (2-7-6, 0-2-4 CHA) struck first in the tilt midway through the second period on a power play. Kelsey Crow netted the goal after a barrage of shots were being sent at the cage to notch her third power play goal of the year.
 
Much like the score itself, statistically the match was pretty even between the two teams. Penn State slightly outshot the Big Red, 22-21, while the shots per period were level between the two squads as well.
 
Maddie Mills led Cornell in shots with six while Buckley added in three herself.
 
The team hits the road this weekend for yet another two-game series against a top-10 team. The Big Red meets No. 10 Providence with games scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 25 and Sunday Nov. 26. The puck is set to drop at 2 p.m. on both days.
 
"We got a team that's as far as the rankings go, right where we are," said Derraugh. "So, it could be an important NCAA weekend in that regard and important nonconference games for us so it's certainly a great challenge for us and it will be a great weekend I think to prepare us for Colgate the next week – another top-10 team."