ITHACA, N.Y. — The Cornell University women's polo team used a 10-2 run in the second half to secure a 15-6 victory over Skidmore College in its season opener on Friday at the Oxley Equestrian Center. 

Junior Isabella Braden led the Big Red with eight goals, while junior Ava Ramachandran had three, and senior Charlotte Book had one. 

"With this game being our regular season opener for our women's team, I did expect some jitters and nervousness from the group," Anthony Condo, the Peter B. Orthwein '68 Head Coach of Polo, said. "Credit to Skidmore for really slowing the game down into a scrappy, physical affair."

The Big Red led 5-4 after a defensive battle in the first half and slowly started to pull away in the third chukker. Braden scored three goals in that frame and added her final tally in the fourth chukker. 

"Nine goals in total for the half is a real defensive battle, and we struggled to find any sort of offensive rhythm in the first half," Condo said. "Isabelle had quite the balanced effort last night and was the catalyst behind the 10-2 run to close out the contest. It was hard-fought, and I'm glad to get this one into the win column."

Cornell faces the University of Virginia at the UVa Fall Tournament on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m.