HANOVER, N.H. -- The Cornell defense showed up and showed out to help the Big Red claim the 2023 Ivy League opener over Dartmouth, 11-6, on Sunday afternoon at Scully-Fahey Field. Cornell improved to 4-1 (1-0 Ivy), while the Big Green slipped to 2-2 (0-1 Ivy).
Cornell limited the Big Green to three goals in each half, caused nine turnovers, won the battle on the ground (19-13) and got six saves from
Ellie Horner to overcome a slow start by the offense to earn its second straight win over the Big Green. The Big Red is now 3-1 on the road this season.
Shannon Brazier was all over the field with six ground ball wins, two draw controls, two caused turnovers and an assist in the win. Eight different players forced a Dartmouth turnover for the Big Red.
Cornell turned things around in the draw circle, winning 10-of-14 in the second half as the Big Red flipped the score.
Annie Thomas won four and
Alexa Donahoe captured three on the afternoon.
A 30-20 edge in shots allowed the offense to come alive after halftime, finding the back of the net nine times.
Maggie Pons had two goals and two assists for a team-high four points, with
Josie Vogel registering a hat trick and both
Caitlin Slaminko and
Katie Castiello scoring twice.
Dartmouth led 3-2 at the half, holding down a Big Red offense that entered the game scoring 14.8 goals per outing. Big Green goalkeeper Gisele Todd stopped six of the first seven shots she saw and Dartmouth staked her to 2-0 and 3-1 leads. Vogel's first goal of the night, with 1:39 left before halftime, gave the visitors some momentum entering the break.
Vogel was back on the board just 49 seconds into the second half to knot the score, and
Mia DiChiara put the vistors up for good three and a half minutes later on a great feed from
Amanda Cramer.
By the time Vogel completed her hat trick with a woman-up goal with 8:27 left in the third, Cornell had capped off a 5-0 run spanning the halves annd led 6-3. The Big Green momentarily got back within two (6-4), but 39 seconds later
Maggie Pons scored her 10th goal of the season and the Big Red were never threatened again.
Next Up
• The Big Red remains on the road in Ivy League play when it visits Columbia on Saturday, March 11 at 1 p.m. at Wien Stadium.
• The contest will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
• Cornell has won all 25 career meetings against Columbia dating back to the 1997 season.
