ITHACA, N.Y. – The Big Red field hockey team dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker to Columbia this afternoon at Marsha Dodson Field. Cornell carried the run of play and had ample offensive opportunities, but was stymied by Lions' goalie Katie Dempsey's 14-save performance.
 
Cornell (5-3, 0-2 Ivy) outshot the Lions, 27-6, and put 16 shots on frame to Columbia's five. The home team also held the edge in penalty corners (8-6), thanks to two awarded with no time remaining in the contest, giving the Big Red a chance to tie the game with zeros showing on the clock.
 
The wild finish was set up after Sam McILwrick cut the Lions' lead to 2-1 with a goal in the 69th minute. The goal capped a series of Big Red shots that featured a save from Dempsey and a defensive save from Michelle Thompson, but Columbia couldn't clear the ball and Katie Carlson slipped it to McILwrick who found the back of the net.
 
Columbia put the home team in an early hole by scoring on its first shot of the game when Maeve Doherty scored on a penalty corner at the 9:46 mark. It was one of just three shots taken by the Lions over the first 35 minutes.
 
With Cornell pressing late in the second half, Columbia managed to tack on a much needed insurance goal by Meghan Fahey, who teamed up with Danielle Buttinger to beat Cornell goalie Maddy Henry in a two-on-one situation.
 
Henry finished with three saves in 68:17 before being replaced for the final 1:43 of the contest for the benefit of an extra field player.
 
Cornell is back in action tomorrow when it welcomes Lock Haven to Dodson Field at 1:00 p.m.