The women’s soccer team opened its season with two wins this past weekend, earning shutout victories over St. Bonaventure and Robert Morris.
Cornell defeated the Bonnies, 2-0, Friday in Olean, N.Y., and then beat the Colonials, 4-0, on Sunday in Pennsylvania.
“We didn’t play that well on Friday, and it took us a while to find our game,” said head coach Berhane Andeberhan. “But, what I was really proud of, was that the team maintained its composure when we were struggling, and continued to play good defense. We were able to find opportunities and score a couple of goals.”
The first of those goals came 12 minutes into the game, after a Red corner kick taken by senior Kelly Bowen. Her shot went off a defender, and into the net. Bowen was credited with her first collegiate goal.
Cornell (2-0-0) would score again in the 42nd minute. Senior Kara Ishikawa received a pass from sophomore Tracy Wooster, and Ishikawa sent the ball past goalie Lisa Eberhart.
Junior Katrina Matlin was in net for Cornell, and she had two saves on the afternoon. Eberhart recorded eight saves for St. Bonaventure (1-2-0).
On Sunday, Cornell looked to be in top form against Robert Morris (2-1-0). The Red controlled the afternoon, taking 26 shots on the day, while holding the Colonials to only two.
“In the second game, we were much better,” Andeberhan said. “Robert Morris had improved significantly [from last year]. We were fortunate to be on our game.”
Sophomore Molly Easterlin began the offensive charge for the Red, scoring her first career goal with less than one minute off the clock.
“They kicked off and we quickly stole the ball,” Andeberhan said. “We had 10 or 12 passes in a row, and we scored.”
Cornell took 14 shots in the first half, but Easterlin’s was the only one to find the net. However, things would change in the second half, as senior Shannon Fraser netted two goals, while Ishikawa added another.
Fraser scored in the 54th minute of the game, off an assist from sophomore Mariye Wick. Just one minute later, Ishikawa was able to fire a shot past goalie Jessica Onufer. In the 82nd minute, Fraser would add another tally, scoring off a pass from junior Jessica Snyder.
“Our midfield has really gelled,” Andeberhan said. “It almost didn’t make a difference who we had in there. Jessica Snyder probably had her best game ever at Cornell. She had a big-time, professional-caliber pass to create Shannon’s goal.”
Freshman goalie Jessica Lebo had two saves for Cornell.
The Red will next be in action on Sunday, when the team welcomes Buffalo to Ithaca.
Archived article by Ted Nyman
Sun Staff Writer