The field hockey team continues its quest for national recognition against No. 14 University of Virginia tomorrow at 1 p.m. on Schoellkopf Field. The Red is coming off of a close weekend against two other nationally-ranked opponents, Harvard and Maine, and currently stands at 7-5.
Besides bringing an 8-6 record, UVA also comes to town with the ACC player of the week, junior goalkeeper Emily White. The Cavs recently upset No. 10 North Carolina, thanks in part to White. She recorded 13 saves that day, and currently has 120 on the season.
Offensively, the Cavs appear to have similar stats when compared to Cornell. UVA has 23 points on the season, where the Red has 22. UVA is also faltering in their conference, with a 0-2 record and an 11-0 loss to Old Dominion.
Cornell is currently 3-1 in conference play, with its only loss coming at the hands of Harvard. The Red also suffered a close loss to Maine where, despite taking 18 penalty corners, the offense could not produce.
Still, that was on the road. This week’s game will be at home, where Cornell holds a 5-3 advantage. The Red should also be re-acclimated to the field, improving its penalty corner chances. Look also for the heavy offensive pressure from last Sunday’s game to continue.
Fans attending tomorrow’s game should be able to spend less time yelling at the officials, and more time cheering for their team. The Red’s last home game saw two questionable calls regarding goals for each team. After reviewing the tape from the game, and noting Cornell’s goal, the NCAA banned the official from the field.
Junior goaltender Kaitlin Tierney has also returned to top form. Her 11 saves against Harvard have put her at 86 on the season. She is also ranked sixth nationally for her goals against average.
As for UVA, the team will be coming off of a game today with another Ivy League contender: Dartmouth. The Cavs will have to put forth a strong effort in both games as the Big Green is also knocking on the door of national prominence.
Do Emily White and the No. 14 Cavs seem unbeatable? Not when you ask Cornell head coach Michelle Tambroni.
“I feel that we play better as we face higher ranked opponents,” said Tambroni.
Archived article by Matt Janiga