On the road this weekend, the Cornell women’s field hockey team (8-5 overall, 3-2 Ivy) seeks a win against Albany (8-8) to gain momentum for its final Ivy League matches. Entering this match after a great victory over Bucknell, the Red is ready to fight.
Last year, Cornell downed Albany 2-1 at home and the Red hopes to increase its winning percentage tomorrow afternoon against the Danes.
Three days after this match, the Red will meet the powerful Princeton Tigers for an important game in terms of final Ivy standings. The Danes will give Cornell a chance to work out any kinks and to prepare for the remaining Ivy League contests.
Although the Danes have settled into an inconsistent season and are coming into this match with a three-game losing streak, they should not be overlooked.
“Albany is a grass team, so we have that advantage over them, but they get better every year and their coach is a good recruiter. We can’t take them for granted,” senior co-captain Kate McMahon said of the Red’s opponent.
This late in the season, the philosophy is pretty simple. Cornell plans on going out and playing the game it knows how to play.
Thursday night practice was simple as the Red scrimmaged to keep the legs warm and stay sharp on the field.
The Red has an extra incentive to win on the road this weekend as many of the Cornell field hockey alumni will be following the team to Saratoga Springs, N.Y. to support the squad. With a great crowd behind them, the players are hungry for a win this weekend as they try to focus on the task at hand instead of the upcoming Ivy games.
“It’s a very important game that can give us some winning momentum heading into Tuesday’s game and our last game of the season,” McMahon commented.
With only a few games left, the Red’s goals are straightforward. McMahon said that the team is feeling good and that her teammates “just want to win the last three games and finish the season strong.”
Archived article by Kelli Larsen