ITHACA, N.Y. -- Senior
Polly Parsons scored her first two goals of the season to give Cornell a 2-0 halftime lead, but UAlbany scored three times over the final two quarters, including Jette Kurz's go-ahead goal in the 46th minute, to beat the Big Red 3-2 on Sunday afternoon on Senior Day at Marsha Dodson Field. The Big Red slipped to 5-6 on the season, while the Great Danes improved to 6-5 with their 11th consecutive win in the series.
Parsons put the Big Red ahead at 4:27 of the first quarter, finishing past the UAlbany goalkeeper on a feed from outside the circle from junior Uma Käding. She doubled the lead at 13:47 with a knock-in after sophomore
Stella Thibeault's shot was saved and the rebound was redirected, with senior
Rease Coleman credited with the assist after she batted the ball up to Parsons. Parsons finished with three shots, all on goal.
Cornell took that 2-0 lead into the break, but UAlbany came out of halftime with the momentum. Sarah Salameh cut the deficit to 2-1 at 39:36 of the third quarter, scoring in front of the cage off a feed from Jette Kurz. Just over two minutes later, at 41:44, Mara Kuskes tied it during a penalty corner, winning a battle for the ball, spinning and scoring unassisted.
Kurz, who assisted on Salameh's goal, scored the game-winner at 45:48 of the fourth quarter. An initial shot on a penalty corner found its way to Kurz's feet and the Great Dane tucked a shot into the bottom left corner of the goal for what proved to be the game winner.
Cornell pulled goalkeeper
Martha Broderick for an extra attacker at 56:31, with Coleman coming on, but could not find an equalizer. Broderick made four saves, two each in the second and third quarters. UAlbany goalkeeper Merle Vaandrager made six stops to pick up the win.
Cornell held a 16-13 edge in shots, including 8-7 in shots on goal. Each team earned six penalty corners. Käding led the Big Red with five shots and added an assist, and freshman
Rebecca Block had three shots.
The Big Red will be back in action when it faces No. 10 Princeton, a 2-1 overtime victory over No. 1 Northwestern on Sunday afternoon, in a key Ivy League contest on Friday, Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. at Marsha Dodson Field.
