Indicative of the resiliency and determination it exhibited all season, the Cornell field hockey team scored two goals in the final four minutes of its game on Saturday to force overtime against Dartmouth. However, the Red’s storybook season ended just a few minutes later, as Green senior Lindsey Gossage found the back of the cage for the overtime game-winning goal. With the loss, Cornell finishes the season with a record of 10-7, 4-3 Ivy, while Dartmouth (9-8, 5-2) gains a share of second place with Brown.
Dartmouth opened up the scoring eight and a half minutes into the game, when sophomore Lizzie Bildner converted off of a penalty corner. The Green would maintain its one-goal advantage throughout the remainder of the first half and the majority of the second. Looking to generate offense in the tightly contested affair, the Red took a chance by pushing its sweeper up the field. The plan backfired however, when, with nine minutes remaining in the game, sophomore Whitney Waugh drew the Red goalkeeper out of the net, then passed it off to junior Audrey Knutson, who extended Dartmouth’s lead to two. Waugh was credited with her second assist of the day on the play.
With the clock winding down, the Red began to mount its comeback. With a little more than three minutes left in regulation, Cornell was awarded a penalty corner. Senior co-captain Blair Corcoran fed the ball into classmate and fellow co-captain Natalie Serle, who set up freshman Katlyn Donoghue to cut the Red’s deficit in half. Corcoran and Serle were awarded with assists on the play.
The Red continued to put pressure on Dartmouth’s defense, gaining two more penalty corners late in the game. Sophomore goalie Ashley Heist denied the Red’s first opportunity, but with no time remaining on the clock, the Red had one final chance to convert. Corcoran fed the corner into Serle, who dished it off to freshman Belen Martinez. Martinez subsequently found the back of the cage, dramatically sending the game into overtime.
The Red never really had an opportunity to settle in the sudden death overtime period, as Dartmouth scored just 1:42 into the extra time. In overtime, when the format changes from 11 per side to seven, Dartmouth sent a long pass down to the Cornell baseline.
Sophomore goalie Lizzie Goldblatt, who posted six saves on the day, came out to challenge the ball, but was beaten, as Gossage tallied the game-winner.
“I’m disappointed with how the game ended, but I’m happy with the fact that we came back and also maybe that we exceeded expectations on the season,” said Cornell head coach Donna Hornibrook. “We’re not satisfied, but are definitely encouraged that we have something to build on.”
The game was the regular season finale for both teams. Having said farewell to its crop of seniors – Corcoran, Serle, and Ellen Davies – the Red will now take some time off and look forward to the offseason. Whereas the practicing and training in-season focused on building cohesiveness within the team, the offseason will focus on, and provide the opportunity for, individual development.
“We have a group of great workers and really good athletes who have already made significant improvements,” Hornibrook said.
Archived article by Jon Hausner
Sun Staff Writer