BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Big Red field hockey team won its fourth consecutive one-goal game of the season, upsetting No. 24 Maine, 3-2, in a neutral site contest this afternoon at Vermont's Moulton Widener Field. The win gives Cornell its best start to a season (4-0) since the 2009 squad went 7-0, and extends its current winning streak to eight games, matching a school record previously set over the 2008-2009 seasons.
 
For the second day in a row, the Big Red's opponent held the significant edge offensively, but was thwarted by the outstanding play of Cornell's goalie. Yesterday against Vermont, it was sophomore Maddie Henry that set a career-high with nine saves, while today it was senior Kelly Johnson matching a career-high with 10 saves vs. the Black Bears.
 
Krysten Mayers scored the game-winner, the ninth of her career, off a pass from Sam McILwrick in the 39th minute to break the 2-2 stalemate. After regaining the lead, Johnson made seven stops over the final 31 minutes, and benefitted from a defensive save by Isabel Josephs, to secure the victory.
 
Maine pulled its goalie for the final 4:10 of the contest but didn't manage to record a shot.
 
For the game, Maine held the advantage in shots (20-11), shots on goal (13-7), and penalty corners (10-5), but got into an early 2-0 hole after the Big Red converted a pair of penalty corners in the first 16 minutes of the contest.
 
Cornell's first goal was tallied by McILwrick, off assists from Josephs and Katie Carlson, while the second was scored by Isabel Siergiej, off assists from Josephs and Gabby DePetro.
 
The Black Bears answered back with a pair of penalty corner goals from Samantha Wagg in a four-minute span to send the teams into halftime deadlocked at 2-2.
 
The Big Red is back in action on Friday, Sept. 15 as it returns home to Dodson Field and will look to snap a four-game losing streak to Rutgers, before heading to Lafayette on Monday, Sept. 18 to try and win its third straight against the Leopards.