Box Score (PDF)
ITHACA, N.Y. — Sophomore defender
Kaili Gregory scored on a penalty kick midway through the first half, and the women's soccer team carried the run of play from start to finish in a 1-0 victory over Maine on a warm Saturday afternoon at Berman Field.
Earning the start in central defense, Gregory was asssigned with the Big Red's first penalty kick of the season after senior
Katerina Weikert was taken down in the 18-yard box. Gregory left no doubt from the spot, powering a low shot into the net in the 17th minute.
Working with the lead on its home field for the first time this season, Cornell had several opportunities to double the lead before halftime — unleashing 13 shots in the opening 45 minutes. Just 40 seconds after Gregory's strike, senior forward
Paige DeLoach had a one-on-one with the Maine goalkeeper that was saved. In the 30th minute, a scramble followed a corner kick and resulted in junior midfielder
Jessica Ritchie sending a shot over the goalkeeper that grazed the crossbar, and sophomore midfielder
Juliana Comer narrowly missed the far post with her shot off the rebound.
Conversely, the back line of Gregory, freshman
Maddie Hoitink, sophomore
Abby Adams, senior
Kaylee Fitzgerald and substitute junior
Grace Keller kept the Black Bears bottled up. The visitors' only shot on target in the opening half came inside the final minute, with junior goalkeeper
Meghan Kennedy cradling the shot from 18 yards while diving to her left. It was Kennedy's only save in her first clean sheet of the season and the fourth of her collegiate career.
In the second half, Maine took a free kick from about 25 yards in the 55th minute, but it was blocked by DeLoach. Cornell kept the pressure on, but sophomore forward
Autumn Brown and Comer were both turned away by the Black Bears' goalkeeper on one-on-one scenarios. Maine's last gasp came with 3:12 to play, but a shot by Emilie Anderson from 25 yards went wide to Kennedy's right.
Up next for Cornell is the start of Ivy League play, when Columbia visits Berman at 7 p.m. Friday.
