ITHACA, N.Y. — Freshman Ashley Durik turned in a collegiate debut to remember on Friday night, scoring twice in the second half to lift the Cornell women's soccer team to a 3-1 victory over Iona in the Big Red's season opener at Berman Field. Her highlight-reel strike from 25 yards in the 57th minute restored Cornell's lead, then she tacked on another goal less than six minutes later to become the first Cornell freshman to score twice in a season opener since 1997.
 
Sophomore Jadyn Matthews opened the scoring with her first collegiate goal in her first game as a forward. Junior Naomi Jaffe earned an assist on the play, and senior Kennedy Yearby made the play to set up Durik's second strike. Freshman Nicole Shulman made two saves to earn the victory.
 
Cornell (1-0) struck just a second after the game's five-minute mark. Even though she didn't appear on the score sheet for the Big Red's opening goal just one second after the 5-minute mark, it was Durik's win of a 50/50 ball and quick turn up the middle that created the attack. Durik cut back and slid a pass to senior Juliana Comer, who then found Jaffe speeding up the right flank. Jaffe feathered a pass through a defender to Matthews on the near corner of the 6-yard box. She took one touch while turning against two converging defenders, then tucked a tight-angle shot inside the far post.
 
The Big Red continued to dominate territorially, but a wayward pass between defenders gave the visitors immediate momentum. Faith Preziosi took advantage of the quick turnover and found Shulman off her angle, guiding a 20-yard shot inside the near post.
 
Iona then rode momentum early into the second half, but couldn't generate much even with plenty of quality possession time in the offensive third. Cornell then took the lead for good on Durik's first tally. Matthews looked to serve a ball from the right side that was headed away by a defender at the top of the 18-yard box. Durik was first to the ball about 25 yards from goal and never hesitated in uncorking a shot placed perfectly in the upper far corner of the net.
 
Durik's second marker came on a similar play, when Yearby's quick feet near the end line gave her enough space from a defender to send a cross into the 6-yard box. It was deflected away by a retreating Iona player, but Durik was first to the ball and slotted a left-footed shot inside the far post. It was the first time a Cornell freshman scored twice in the team's first game of the season in 22 years, dating back to when Miki Agrawal did it in a 6-2 victory over Columbia on Sept. 13, 1997.
 
With the win, Cornell improved to 22-11-5 all time in its season debuts, including a 5-1-1 mark over the last seven years. It was also the Big Red's first game with at least three goals since Nov. 5, 2016.
 
Cornell returns to action against another Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponent, Siena, at 7 p.m. Monday at Berman Field.