ITHACA, N.Y. — Two late goals off corner kicks in the final 22 minutes propelled visiting Columbia (3-4-2, 1-0-0 Ivy) to a 2-1 comeback win over the Cornell women's soccer team (2-3-4, 0-1-0 Ivy) in Saturday afternoon's Ivy League opener at Berman Field.
Cornell grabbed the early lead in the 12th minute when senior defender
Gaby Gonzalez recorded her first goal since her freshman season by heading in a corner from senior midfielder
Mariana Kessinger. Just two minutes later, junior midfielder
Brooke Brown appeared to double the advantage after poucing on a rebound of a blocked shot by junior forward
Alanna Colbert, but the goal was waved off for offside after a discussion between the referee and assistant referees.
"We started very well, played how we wanted to play, and imposed ourselves," said Cornell women's soccer head coach
Rob Ferguson. "We got in front with a great goal from Gaby and thought we'd doubled the lead, but I don't know that we responded very well to that. We sat back a little bit too deep in the first half, but defended well."
Cornell's lead stood for nearly 57 minutes before Maia Tabion swung in a near-post corner that Maia Beltran headed home in the 69th minute to level the score. The Big Red defense blocked three shots in the final 10 minutes to keep the match tied, but Columbia struck again with 28.5 seconds left. Another Tabion corner found Dema Elder, whose far-post header tucked inside the post for the game-winning goal.
Kessinger attempted a last-second shot from near midfield, but her bid to force overtime sailed wide.
"At the end, it's such an emotional moment for the team. It sucks the air out of you," Ferguson stated. "We have to look at where did it come from? Why have we conceded two goals from set pieces? We have to work out what went wrong. We've got six games left. Every Ivy League game is super competitive and can go in any direction. We've got plenty of time and games to put it right."
MATCH NOTES
• Saturday marked the 39th all-time meeting between Cornell and Columbia, with the Lions now leading the series 21-17-1 and unbeaten in 16 of the last 19 (15-3-1).
• The Big Red opened Ivy play against Columbia for the 25th time in program history and 20th time since 2000 (11-13-0 record).
• Seven of the last 11 meetings have been decided by one goal or fewer, including four of the last five.
• Gonzalez's goal — the second of her career — was her first since also scoring off a header against Villanova on Sept. 4, 2022.
• Kessinger's assist raised her season total to five points (one goal, three assists), moving her past junior forward
Sydney Allen (four points — two goals) for the team lead.
NEXT UP
Cornell will head to New Haven, Conn., for its next Ivy League match next Saturday, Sept. 27, where it will face Yale (2-5-0) at Reese Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
