ITHACA, N.Y. — The Cornell women's soccer team (1-0-1) concludes its three-match homestand this weekend, hosting La Salle (1-2-0) on Thursday evening and Kent State (1-1-1) on Sunday afternoon to Berman Field.

MATCH NO. 3: La Salle at Cornell
WHEN | WHERE: Thursday, Aug. 28 | Berman Field – Ithaca, N.Y.
RECORDS: La Salle (1-2-0, 0-0-0 Atlantic-10), Cornell (1-0-1, 0-0-0 Ivy League)
SERIES: La Salle leads, 2-0-0 (L2)
WATCH: ESPN+ | WEATHER: 73°, cloudy, SW 5-10 mph
STATS: CornellBigRed.com

MATCH NO. 4: Colgate at Cornell
WHEN | WHERE: Sunday, Aug. 31 | Berman Field – Ithaca, N.Y.
RECORDS: Kent State (1-1-1, 0-0-0 MAC), Cornell (1-0-1, 0-0-0 Ivy League)
SERIES: First meeting
WATCH: ESPN+ | WEATHER: 70°, partly cloudy, NNW 5-10 mph
STATS: CornellBigRed.com

WEEKEND REWIND
Cornell opened the 2025 campaign with a scoreless draw at Boston College last Friday evening in Newton, Mass., before returning home to defeat Colgate two days later.

Qureshey, one of only eight true freshman to ­start a season opener in Cornell program history, totaled seven saves across the two matches, including four in the first half against Boston College to record a clean sheet in her collegiate debut.

Colbert and Allen netted Cornell's first two goals of the year, with Bishara and senior midfielder Mariana Kessinger registering assists.

STARTING STRONG
Cornell is unbeaten through two matches for the third consecutive year and the 18th time in program history (1983, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025).

The current three-year streak is the first time the Big Red has gone three successive years without losing any of its first two matches since 2014 (2-0-0), 2015 (1-0-1), and 2016 (2-0-0).

It is the fourth instance the Big Red has avoided defeat in its first two matches in three consecutive seasons, joining three-year stretches between 1990-92 and 2004-06.

With a result against La Salle, Cornell would remain unbeaten through three matches for the 13th time (1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2023, 2024) and the first in three straight seasons since 1990-92.

Avoiding defeat in both contests this weekend would be the 10th time Cornell has gone without a loss through its first four matches.

MAKING AN EARLY IMPACT
After starting the season-opening match at Boston College last Friday, freshman goalkeeper Samantha Qureshey became Cornell's eighth true-freshman goalkeeper to start a match in program history, joining Lisa Brigham (1982), Kate Thompson (1983), Kate Alexander (1992), Katie Thomas (2001), Jodi Palmer (2007), Nicole Shulman (2019), and Erica Fox (2021).

With her clean sheet against the Eagles, Qureshey became Cornell's fifth true-freshman goalkeeper to record a clean sheet in a season opener, previously done by Thompson, Alexander, Thomas, and Fox.

As of Monday, Qureshey is one of 12 freshman goalkeepers to yield under half a goal per match so far this season, and her .875 save percentage is tied with Michigan State's Noelle Henning for the 11th-highest save percentage by a first-year goalkeeper.

HOME, SWEET, HOME
Cornell concludes its three-match homestand this weekend when it hosts La Salle and Kent State at Berman Field, marking the second straight season the Big Red will be playing three consecutive matches on its home pitch. Last season, Cornell welcomed Buffalo (Aug. 29), Syracuse (Sept. 1), and Boston College (Sept. 5) to Berman Field for its first three home matches of the season.

After defeating Colgate on Sunday afternoon, an unbeaten run through this homestand would mark just the 10th time in program history that Cornell has gone undefeated during a single-season homestand of at least three matches. The Big Red last accomplished the feat in 2013, when it defeated three in-state foes in Marist, UAlbany, and Binghamton.

Although Princeton halted Cornell's program-record 14-match goal-scoring streak on Berman Field last Sept. 28, the Big Red has continued to generate consistent offense on its home pitch, finding the back of the net in 17 of its past 19, and 20 of its previous 24 home contests, dating back to the final two matches in 2022.

Over its last 19 home matches, Cornell is averaging 1.42 goals per game and has scored multiple goals on eight occasions — highlighted by a 4-0 victory over UAlbany on Oct. 17, 2023.

THE FINISHING TOUCH
Junior forward Sydney Allen continues to showcase her ability to be a difference-maker, logging her fourth career game-winning goal in the Big Red's victory over Colgate on Sunday. All four of Allen's collegiate goals have not only come on Berman Field, but have been game-winners.

With another decisive strike, Allen will officially enter a five-way tie with Amy Duesing (1991-94), Jen Tidsbury (1991-94), Emily Knight (2000-03), and Paige DeLoach (2014-17) for 10th on the program's all-time game-winning goals list. Laurie Collier (1984-87) owns the record with 11 game-winners.

After her game-winning goal against Yale last year, Allen became just the 12th player in program history (14th instance) to notch at least three game-winning goals in a single season and the first to do so since Maneesha Chitanvis (three) in 2010. Allen was tied for the Ivy League lead in game-winning goals with Harvard's Josefine Hasbo and Princeton's Brooke Dawahare and Pietra Tordin, while ranking 94th nationally.

Allen's clutch finishing has contributed to a broader offensive trend for Cornell, which has scored in 43 of its 65 matches under head coach Rob Ferguson (66.2 percent) since the start of the 2021 season. That clip is the second-highest in program history, trailing only the 68.1 percent mark set by founding head coach Randy May across his 18-year tenure (1982-99).

SCOUTING LA SALLE
La Salle (1-2-0) enters Thursday evening's match riding a two-match losing streak, after dropping a pair of 2-1 decisions to Lehigh (Aug. 20) and Stony Brook (Aug. 24).

The Explorers opened the season with a 3-2 victory over Bucknell (Aug. 14) in its season and home opener.

Justyce Hollenbach leads La Salle in goals (two) and points (four), all of which have come in the Explorers' last two matches. Jillian Drumm, Alexis Garcia, and Kayden Williams have also scored for the Explorers this season.

Mackenna Yaracs, a transfer from Mercyhurst, has played all 270 minutes in goal for La Salle, compiling a 1-2-0 record with a 2.00 goals-against average and .667 save percentage.

SCOUTING KENT STATE
Kent State (1-1-1) comes into this weekend's action winless in its last two matches, dropping a 3-2 home decision to Duquesne (Aug. 17) and playing to a 1-1 draw at Northwestern (Aug. 24). The Golden Flashes opened the 2025 season with a 1-0 victory over Cleveland State (Aug. 14).

The Golden Flashes' match on Sunday against Cornell will be the first of five straight contests played away from Zoeller Field at Dix Stadium, as Kent State will play its final three non-conference matches on the road (Louisville - Sept. 4; Oakland - Sept. 7) before opening MAC play with contests at Bowling Green (Sept. 14) and Ball State (Sept. 21). Kent State's first home conference match will be on Sept. 25 against UMass.

Samantha Miller leads Kent State in goals (two) and points (four). Allison Collins and Isabelle Leofanti have also tallied goalies for the Golden Flashes, while Kiyomi McCausland is the lone player with multiple assists (two).