ITHACA, N.Y. – The Cornell field hockey team erased an early deficit to defeat in-state rival Colgate, 3-1, this evening on Marsha Dodson Field. The Big Red surrendered a goal in the ninth minute of play, but scored twice before the half and then tacked on a late insurance goal to seal the victory.
 
"That was just what the doctor ordered," said interim head coach Steve Simpson. "We needed to get a positive outcome on the score line and we got that. A lot of players played really well, and our team groups played really well. There were a lot of really positive things to our play today, and we've been playing good hockey the past few games and not getting the result. So this was important."
 
The Big Red dominated the play through the majority of the contest, but Colgate managed to score an opportunistic goal early in the first quarter when a misplayed ball deep in Cornell's defensive end allowed Nikki Potter to score on a ball that had gotten behind goalie Maddie Henry.
 
Cornell responded in the 15th minute when Gabby DePetro stole the ball from a Raider defender and sent it ahead into the circle to Grace Royer. The sophomore forward tapped the ball around her defender and then lifted a shot over the head of Colgate goalie Anna Unger to make it a 1-1 game.
 
Just under 15 minutes later Kirsten Pienaar gave the Big Red the game-winning goal on a penalty stroke that she drilled to the stick-side corner of the cage.
 
Maddy Conklin added a goal in the 54th minute off a penalty corner. DePetro was credited with her second assist of the day, while Taylor Reed collected the first assist of her career.
 
The Big Red had more shots (19-7), shots on goal (11-3) and penalty corners (8-6), but the Raiders were kept in the game by the play of Unger, who finished with eight saves.
 
Henry stopped two shots to earn the win.
 
Cornell (2-6) is back in action this weekend when it travels to Columbia to take on the Lions on Sunday, Sept. 30 at noon.