ITHACA, N.Y. -- Sixth-ranked Penn State used runs to open both the first and second half and held on late for a 9-8 victory over #15 Cornell on Saturday afternoon at Schoellkopf Field. The Nittany Lions improved to 5-0 on the year, while the Big Red slipped to 1-1.

Penn State opened the scoring 2:30 into the game and then Cornell returned the favor four minutes later when senior tri-captain Catherine Ellis found the back of the net for her first of two on the day.

After a 30 minute delay due to thunder with 21:59 on the clock - before which Penn State put one in - the Nittany Lions came out and scored the next two goals of the game and held 4-1 lead at the midway point of the half. But - just as it had when it conceded the opening goal and then pulled it back - the Big Red yet again showed the ability to respond and answered with three of its own.

First junior Ida Farinholt converted on a free-position shot - her first goal since freshman year after missing the majority of the past two seasons due to injury - and then sophomore Sarah Phillips took a feed from senior Amie Dickson to pull the Big Red within one. Ellis then pulled the game even at 4-4 after finishing a pass from junior Taylor Reed.

Penn State added a goal with 10:03 remaining in the first half to enter the break with a 5-4 lead.

The teams then continued to trade goals in the second 30 minutes of play. Just over 90 seconds into the second stanza, Penn State found the net to take a 6-4 lead but junior Joey Coffy converted her free-position shot to pull it right back.

The Nittany Lions scored two goals less than a minute apart and then Cornell fired right back with two free-position goals from Dickson and sophomore Tomasina Leska to make it 8-7.

After Penn State's ninth goal, Cornell found itself trailing by two with less than two minutes to play and - as it had throughout the game - the Big Red cut the deficit, with Phillips notching her second of the day.

The Big Red then forced a turnover after the ensuing draw and had one last chance to knot the game but wasn't able to get a shot off, turning the ball over with 10 seconds remaining.

Cornell used a balanced attack offensively, with Ellis and Phillips each scoring two goals, Reed assisting on a pair of goals and Dickson posting a goal and an assist. Junior Cait Callahan had four caused turnovers and won five ground balls, while senior tri-captain Catie Smith notched three caused turnovers and earned six ground balls. Reed added four draw control wins to her two assists. Senior Renee Poullott had four saves in goal for the Big Red. Cornell held a 31-18 edge in shots, won the ground ball battle 21-15 and committed fewer turnovers (23-14), but a disadvantage in draws (11-8) played a key role in the Nittany Lions' win.

For Penn State, both Abby Smucker and Madison Carter had two goals apiece in an offense directed efficiently by Steph Lazo, who had a goal and four assists. Carter added five ground balls and five draws in the victory.