The recent results for the men’s soccer team can be summed up in one word — frustrating. The Red will host Princeton tomorrow night on Berman Field in the hopes of alleviating the dissatisfaction of losing its last three games and being held scoreless in each of those contests.
[img_assist|nid=19269|title=One on many|desc=Junior midfielder Aaron Vieira (21) makes a play in traffic during the Red’s 1-0 loss to Hartwick on Berman Field Tuesday night.|link=popup|align=left|width=100|height=74]
The trend of taking more shots and scoring fewer goals than its opponent has left the men mystified about their lack of execution on the field.
“It seems as if we do everything right, but I don’t know why we can’t get a goal scored,” said senior co-captain Dan Marks.
Although the Red (2-8-3, 1-3-1 Ivy) has controlled possession and taken more shots than its opponents, it has failed to emerge with a victory since defeating Yale, 2-1, at home on Oct. 13.
“I tell them all the time that possession is a fool’s paradise. It’s a matter of scoring goals,” said head coach Brian Scales.
The Red will need to have an offensive outbreak this Saturday as the team is set to tangle with Princeton (6-6-3, 1-3-1) , an opponent with whom Cornell shares a fifth-place tie in the Ivy League standings. The Tigers are coming off a 2-1 loss to Harvard — who is tied for first in the league with Penn — this past Saturday. Tomorrow’s victor has a chance to break into the upper echelons of the Ancient Eight’s rankings.
“We know that they [Princeton] are right there with us in the standings, so I am excited to be home; it’s always good to have a home game,” said Scales.
And while a home game might provide a boost to the confidence of the Red, the Tigers have a morale booster of their own — they haven’t lost to the Red since 2002.
Princeton holds an edge over offensively-challenged Cornell, as the Tigers enter the weekend averaging 1.33 goals per game compared to the Red’s 0.58, which is last in the league.