PRINCETON, N.J. — Alexandra Barry scored in the ninth minute to put Princeton ahead, and the Tigers never looked back in a 2-0 victory over the Cornell women's soccer team Saturday afternoon at Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium.
Drew Coomans finished her three-point day with an insurance goal in the 88th minute for Princeton (3-5-3, 2-2-0 Ivy), which snapped a two-match conference losing streak. Sydney Romano and Cecilia Cerone combined for the clean sheet, with Romano making two first-half saves to earn the victory in her first career start.
Senior goalkeeper
Natalie Medugno also made two first-half saves for the Big Red (4-5-4, 1-3-0 Ivy). Senior midfielder
Mariana Kessinger and senior defender
Gaby Gonzalez recorded Cornell's shots on goal.
Barry opened the scoring after Medugno punched away a cross to the left side, where Ally Murphy corralled the ball and set up Barry for a left-footed one-touch.
Romano made a diving save in the 25th minute to deny Gonzalez an equalizer following a free kick by Kessinger from midfield.
Cornell had two dangerous set pieces near the midpoint of the second half. The Big Red earned a free kick on the edge of the penalty area in the 72nd minute after senior midfielder
Tanum Nelson was fouled 20 yards from goal. Sophomore defender
Ella Koschineg's attempt sailed over the crossbar.
Three minutes later, junior forward
Sydney Allen was fouled on a near-breakaway by Julia Johnson, who received a yellow card. Kessinger's free kick narrowly missed over the crossbar.
With less than three minutes remaining, Coomans stole the ball from a Cornell player after the Big Red gained possession following a Princeton corner kick. Her 35-yard shot caromed off the crossbar and into the goal.
MATCH NOTES
• Saturday was the 43rd meeting between Cornell and Princeton. The Tigers lead the series 31-8-4 and have won 15 straight at home and are victorious in 28 of the last 29 meetings.
• Princeton outshot Cornell 12-7 and held a 4-2 advantage in shots on goal. The Tigers also had a 4-3 edge in corner kicks.
NEXT UP
Cornell concludes its three-match road trip next Saturday, Oct. 18, when it travels to Philadelphia to face Penn (4-3-4, 0-2-1 Ivy). Kickoff at Rhodes Field is scheduled for 2 p.m. on ESPN+.
Penn is unbeaten in the last nine meetings (6-0-3) and in 26 of the last 27 (22-1-4) dating back to 1997, after Cornell had won the first six. The Quakers have not lost any of their last 14 home matches against Cornell (12-0-2). The Big Red will be seeking its first road victory over Penn since Sept. 16, 1995, when Caarki Sweitzer and Heather Ott scored to lead Cornell to a 2-1 victory after Penn took an early second-half lead.
