PRINCETON, N.J. -- The Cornell field hockey team rallied from a 2-0 halftime deficit to force overtime and eventually a shootout, but after seven rounds of nailbiting action, Princeton escaped with a 3-2 triumph over the Big Red on Friday evening at Bedford Field. Cornell saw its four-game win streak snapped and fell to 5-3 (2-1 Ivy) with two losses to NFHCA preseason top 20 teams in shootouts, while the Tigers improved to 4-5 (2-0 Ivy).
Martha Broderick made seven saves during the game and numerous more in the shootout to keep the Big Red in the game, especially early when Princeton out-shot the Big Red 11-1 over the first 30 minutes.
Rease Coleman and
Antonia Packard each netted goals, the latter being created by a coast-to-coast cruise up the field by
Olivia Friedberg.
The final shootout score was 2-1, with the Big Red's lone goal coming from Coleman on the very first possession. Talia Schenck equalized in the first round, then both teams went five attempts without scoring against Cornell's Broderick and Princeton's Robyn Thompson, who was equally game with her seven stops. Helena Grosse got the game winner, with Coleman unable to answer back in the seventh round to give the home team its sixth consecutive win over the Big Red.
The Tigers scored 11:40 into the contest on its fifth corner of the contests. Broderick made three early saves to keep Princeton off the scoreboard before Ottilie Sykes capitalized on the penalty corner with assists to Sam Davidson and Merle Broex. Princeton then pushed the lead to 2-0 when Ella Cashman redirected an Ava Dempsey shot five minutes into the second quarter as the Tigers continued to carry the play, firing off 11 shots with seven corners before Cornell earned its first of both with 3:30 remaining in the half.
After falling behind 2-0 at the break, Cornell found much better footing in the second half and was buzzing late in the third quarter, cutting the deficit in half on a Princeton giveaway in the back. Coleman picked off a pass, cut into the circle and fired a high shot past the Princeton keeper to make it 2-1. The Big Red nearly evened it up on a penalty corner, but Ramsey's shot went just wide to enter the final quarter trailing by a goal.
With just under six minutes to play in regulation,
Antonia Packard played hero after Friedberg's impressive dash down the field, redirecting the shot past Thompson. Cornell had multiple chances to win in both regulation and overtime, but couldn't find the difference-maker.
Cornell returns home on Sunday, Oct. 1 at 2 p.m. when it meets defending Patriot League champion Lehigh at Marsha Dodson Field. The contest will be broadcast on ESPN+.
