ITHACA, N.Y. — On a Friday of firsts, the Cornell field hockey team eyes its first win of 2023 while playing its first home contest of the year when the Big Red hosts UConn on Friday, Sept. 8 at 4 p.m. at Marsha Dodson Field. The contest will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with Bob Michaels and Rheanna DeCrow on the call.

MATCH INFORMATION
UConn at Cornell
SITE: Marsha Dodson Field – Ithaca, N.Y. (turf)
RECORDS: Syracuse (1-3, 0-0 Big East), Cornell (0-1, 0-0 Ivy League)
SERIES RECORD: UConn leads 2-0
BROADCAST: ESPN+ (Bob Michaels, Rheanna DeCrow)
STATS: CornellBigRed.com
DIGITAL PROGRAM: CornellBigRed.com

STORYLINES
• After suffering a 4-2 loss at No. 7 Syracuse in a sweltering season opener on Wednesday, the Big Red goes in search of its first win of 2023 and its first-ever victory against the visiting UConn Huskies.
• It will be the Big Red's first meeting against the Huskies since 2004.
• In its opener on Wednesday, the Big Red jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but the game-tested Orange rallied to tie it by halftime, then used two fourth quarter goals to claim the win.
• Senior Caroline Ramsey scored both goals, converting on the two penalty corners the Big Red earned on the evening.
• Freshman Julia Ramsey was credited with assists on both of her older sister's goals as the inserter on the corners.
• Freshman goalkeeper Martha Broderick made 10 saves, including nine after halftime and six in a scoreless third quarter. 
• Cornell was chosen fourth in the Ivy League Preseason Poll fresh off a 10-7 season (4-3 Ivy League) that saw it tie for third in the final standings
• The Big Red enters the season returning six starters, including U.S. national team member Caroline Ramsey.
• Smith's team was playing its best hockey of the season over the final weeks of 2022, as the Big Red won four of is final five contests with a victory over No. 4 Louisville.

THE SERIES
Overall: UConn leads 2-0, first meeting in 1998
In Ithaca, N.Y.: First-ever meeting
Current Streak: UConn, 2
Last Meeting: UConn, 6-0 (10/24/2004 in Storrs, Conn.)
Smith vs. UConn: 0-0 (0-0 at home)
Series Notes: UConn has won both previous meetings between the programs (1998, 2004), outscoring the Big Red 13-1 ... the Big Red  holds a 9-6 all-time record against current members of the Big East: Georgetown (7-0), Liberty (0-0), Old Dominion (0-0), Providence (0-1), Quinnipiac (0-0), Temple (0-1) and Villanova (2-2) in addition to UConn.

A WIN OVER UCONN WOULD
• even Cornell's record at 1-1 on the season.
• be the first-ever for the Big Red against the Huskies, cutting the series deficit to 2-1.
• make Cornell 3-1 in home openers under head coach Andy Smith, 11-4 in openers at Dodson Field and and 33-17-1 all-time.
• give Andy Smith his 90th career win as head coach.
• make Cornell field hockey 354-378-36 all-time since 1972.

LAST TIME OUT: #7 Syracuse 4, Cornell 2 (Sept. 6, 2023)  //  Recap  //  Box Score  //  Highlights
• Senior captain Caroline Ramsey staked the Big Red to a 2-0 lead, but seventh-ranked Syracuse came from behind to collect a 4-2 win on Wednesday evening at J.S. Coyne Stadium.
• Ramsey went 2-for-2 on penalty corners as the Big Red came out flying, taking its lead 11:38 into the contest. 
• Ramsey's sister, Julia, assisted on both goals as the inserter, with both Sarah Rogalski and Claire Wolfe being credited with assists on the stop. 
• Freshman goalkeeper Martha Broderick made 10 saves in her first collegiate game, including nine in the second half while keeping the visitors in the game.
• She became the first Cornell goalkeeper to record double-digit saves since Aerin Park also made 10 against No. 7 Michigan on Sept. 18, 2022.
• Eefke van der Nieuwenhof scored three of Syracuse's four goals, including its first tally late in the first quarter to stem Cornell's momentum and the go-ahead goal early in the fourth. 
• The Orange held decisive advantages in shots (19-4) and corners (13-2) in winning its fourth straight to kick off the campaign.

FOUR NAMED TO NFHCA WATCHLIST
• Four members of the Cornell field hockey team have been named to the 2023 NFHCA Watchlist sponsored by Victory Sports Tours. 
• Senior All-American Caroline Ramsey joins junior Olivia Friedberg, sophomore Grace Leahy and freshman Polly Parsons are among 131 student-athletes named to the initial list.
• Ramsey, an NFHCA third-team All-American in 2022, is a two-time all-region selection and a member of the U.S. National Team. 
• Friedberg was a member of the Canadian women's indoor national team this past season. 
• Leahy was the team's third-leading scorer a season ago as a freshman with five goals and 12 points, with three of her tallies going as game winners. 
• One of just 10 first year players to be recognized, Parsons joins the Big Red after being selected to compete for a spot at the Team USA U-21 National Training Camp. 

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
• The Big Red enters the 2023 season picked to finish fourth in the Ivy League Preseason poll. 
• A finish of fourth or better would put the Big Red into the inaugural Ivy League Field Hockey Tournament in November.
• Eight members of Cornell's fall 2023 roster to be selected for either a senior national team or a junior selection camp, with Ramsey and Parsons (USA) and Friedberg and Leahy (Canada) joining Georgia Kelly (Ireland), Martha Broderick (Scotland), Annabel Cheveley (England) and Elizabeth Friedberg (Canada).
• Ramsey enters the contest with 73 points, 26 shy of the career record at Cornell and 27 from becoming the first player in school history to surpass 100 points.
• With 33 goals, Ramsey needs nine to match Krysten Mayers '18 with a Big Red record 42 scores.
• With her 13 career defensive saves, Ramsey already owns the Cornell record entering her final campaign.
• Ramsey, a two-time NFHCA first-team regional All-American is looking to become Cornell's first three-time first-teamer. She currently joins Karla Griffin, Carissa Mirasol and Marisa Siergiej as two-time picks.

UP NEXT
• Cornell will play its third consecutive preseason top 20 team to open the season when UAlbany visits Dodson Field on Sunday, Sept. 10 at 2 p.m.
• The contest will be broadcast on ESPN+.
• The Great Danes hold a 9-3 edge in the all-time series and have won eight straight dating back to Cornell's last win, a 3-0 victory on Oct. 20, 2002 in Saratoga Springs.
• UAlbany won last season's meeting 2-1 despite a Big Red goal by Caroline Ramsey.