By Brandon Thomas
Cornell Athletic Communications
 
ITHACA, N.Y. — For the first time in this young 2021 women's soccer season, Thursday night was less about the goals that Cornell scored and more about the ones it conceded. Sophomore Ava Laden and freshman Peyton Nichols continued their hot offensive starts with second-half goals against Niagara at Berman Field, but both were finished only after the Purple Eagles had taken an insurmountable lead en route to a 5-2 victory over the Big Red.
 
It was the first loss for Cornell (1-1-1) in its era under new head coach Rob Ferguson, closing out a season-opening home stand of three games in seven days.
 
"We knew coming into the season that we would have hiccups," Ferguson said. "We know where we're coming from and know where we want to go. And we know that talking about and doing it game-to-game at this level, it just doesn't run that smoothly."
 
Niagara (2-1) was undoubtedly Cornell's biggest test to date, coming off a 4-2 victory at Syracuse – a program that the Big Red has never defeated in program history. Cornell failed to connect on passes early in the game, and Niagara's attack was able to build on dangerous early opportunities. It was a bit of misfortune that would ultimately put the home side behind when a defender's clearing attempt from the 6-yard box clattered off the knee of Annie Ibey and into the net in the 14th minute. It was her first of three goals on the night.
 
As it was the first time it faced a deficit this season, the Big Red's response was measured. Senior Aidan Julia Reineman had the best change to equalize on a boomed shot from 18 yards just two minutes after the game's first goal, but it sailed over the crossbar. When the Purple Eagles threatened, freshman goalkeeper Erica Fox kept her side close. Among her better stops was one in the 31st minute, when she knocked away an Alexis Horwedel shot shoulder-high to her right from 15 yards.
 
For as much as Niagara excelled in the first half, the eventual two-goal lead loomed significantly larger than a one-goal one. Cornell was 2 minutes, 7 seconds from minimizing the damage in such a fashion – until a deflected shot from distance created extreme spin on a ball as it looped toward goal, and the subsequent spilled rebound was easily tapped into the net by Niagara's Djaynaba Thaim.
 
"We were excited coming in off the back of a win (Friday vs. Canisius) and a tie (Sunday vs. UAlbany). And we came in, and we were flat," Ferguson said. "We didn't do the basics that we know we have to do – we didn't take care of the ball; we played one-touch when it should have been two-touch; we turned it over and turned it over; our intensity defensively (was lacking)."

Then the flood gates opened. Three Niagara goals in a span of 10:06 in the opening 25 minutes of the second half inflated the lead to 5-0, with Ibey punctuating the run with her third goal of the night.
 
While the result was no longer in the balance, Cornell salvaged what it could from the rest of the evening and scored multiple goals for a third straight game – something the program hasn't boasted since the early stages of the 2015 season.
 
It started with Nichols' third goal on Laden's third assist in their third collegiate games, respectively. A Niagara turnover in the midfield was quickly turned forward by sophomore Reagan Pauwels, whose pass sent Laden into the 18-yard box. Laden then slid a left-footed cross toward the middle for Nichols to run on to and convert in the 70th minute.
 
The Big Red then made seven substitutions over a three-minute span – including the season debut for junior Annika DeStefano and the collegiate debut for freshman Sydney Malaga. Amidst that stretch was Laden's second goal of the year, set up by fifth year Maddie Hointink's pass on a free kick earned by freshman Alex Brotherton. Cornell nearly got even closer in the 78th minute when fifth year Naomi Jaffe sent a looping shot from a sharp angle that crashed against the far post.
 
"Our willingness to compete until we were 5-nil down was way off where it needs to be," Ferguson said. "We made plenty of changes in there prior to that to try and fix it, and then something clicked at the end. We saw the heart and fight that we need every minute of every day."
 
With three home games in the books, Cornell now turns its attention to three straight games on the road – starting with a 1 p.m. Sunday contest at Villanova. The travels continue with visits to Syracuse at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9 and Iona at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12.
 
Assistant director of athletic communications Brandon Thomas is in his 11th season as his office's primary contact for the team. He can be reached at brandon@cornell.edu.