CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A first-half salvo by Harvard aided the host Crimson to a 5-0 clean sheet over the Cornell women's soccer team at Jordan Field on Sunday afternoon.
Áslaug Gunnlaugsdóttir, Josefine Hasbo, and Audrey Francois potted first-half goals for Harvard over a span of four-plus minutes while Nicola Golen and Írena Héðinsdóttir Gonzalez tacked on insurance markers in the second half for the Crimson (5-2-5, 1-2-1 Ivy). Rhiannon Stewart made three saves en route to her fifth clean sheet of the season and her first since Sept. 5 against Boston University.
Gunnlaugsdóttir registered a five-point day for Harvard, scoring one goal and adding a trio of assists. Hasbo had a three-point day on the power of a goal and an assist, and Jade Rose assisted on a pair of Harvard goals.
Cornell (2-7-4, 1-3-0 Ivy) had 12 shot attempts in the contest, four of which were on goal coming off the boots of senior defender
Lily Ellingson, junior midfielder
Mariana Kessinger, senior midfielder
Reinna Gabriel, and sophomore forward
Sydney Allen. Junior goalkeeper
Natalie Medugno made her first start since Sept. 22 against Pepperdine, making five saves on the day.
"Credit to Harvard, they are a quality side who did what they needed to do today and were ruthless with their chances," Cornell women's soccer head coach
Rob Ferguson said. "We had some strong phases in the game where we imposed ourselves on them and created turnovers in good areas. We created chances and didn't put them away. We have to sharpen up in both boxes ahead of next Saturday, and that is where we will get to work right away. Our data shows we worked very hard, the game stats show a relatively balanced and competitive game, but the scoreline is what matters and that is nowhere near good enough."
After Cornell registered four of the first six attempts over the opening 15 minutes, Harvard's offense scored three times in 4:12 to quickly take a 3-0 lead. All three first-half goals by the Crimson featured Gunnlaugsdóttir either scoring or assisting on the tally.
Markers in the 65th minute by Golen and Héðinsdóttir Gonzalez in the 77th minute distanced Harvard to post its first Ivy League victory of the season.
MATCH NOTES
• Sunday was the 42nd meeting between Cornell and Harvard. The Crimson, who now sports a 30-3-9 lead in the all-time series, upped its win streak over the Big Red to seven while increasing its unbeaten streak over Cornell to 30 (25-0-5).
• Sophomore forward
Alanna Colbert made her first collegiate start for the Big Red and freshman forward
Evelyn Chudowsky made her collegiate debut.
• Cornell owned a slight 6-5 edge in corner kicks, five of which came during first-half action.
UP NEXT
Cornell will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 19, when it hosts Yale (8-4-1, 2-1-1 Ivy) at Berman Field. First touch between the Big Red and Bulldogs is scheduled for 1 p.m. Match action will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Each of the last two meetings between the programs have resulted in draws, as Yale sports a 21-17-3 lead in the all-time series. The programs played to a scoreless tie on Oct. 15, 2022, at Berman Field and a 1-1 decision last year on Oct. 14, 2023 at Reese Stadium.
A victory over the Bulldogs would snap Cornell's six-match winless streak against Yale (0-3-3), giving the Big Red its first win over its Ivy League rival since Oct. 15, 2016, when it registered a 2-1 decision at Berman Field.
