Men’s Basketball Stifled Against Quakers Despite Second-Half Resurgence
The Red fell to the University of Pennsylvania, 81-91, on Saturday,
The Red fell to the University of Pennsylvania, 81-91, on Saturday,
Though an early deficit didn’t phase Cornell (14-10-2, 10-7-1 ECAC) — the Red put up a consistent offensive front and notched a tying tally on the power play to end the first period — Harvard’s second-frame lead-taking goal and its netminder’s 48-save performance proved to be difference-makers in a frustrating 3-1 loss.
Cornell dominated possession from the puck drop, forcing Yale goaltender Noah Pak to make nine saves before the game’s seven-minute mark.
“[Dartmouth] brought a high battle level,” said head coach Doug Derraugh '91. “Early on, I thought our passing was kind of sloppy [and we] had a lot of turnovers. Gave them a few chances.”
There’s a specific reason why Derraugh’s interviews are becoming repetitive, and it helps explain the main difference so far between this season’s 13-9-2 record and last year's Frozen Four team.
“We've got to be road warriors for a little bit here,” Jones said. “We're looking forward to it.”
The Red’s senior guards Cooper Noard and Jake Fiegen contributed flashes of brilliance. Noard secured a 19-point performance, while Fiegen chipped in 15 points, four assists and four rebounds. Junior forward Kaspar Sepp anchored the glass with nine rebounds and four assists as Cornell edged Harvard on the boards.
“You know, you talk about big games, like MSG. And honestly, for me, [this] game is right up there. The crowd and the noise and the smell of fish.”
The Sun's Hockey Beat Reporters share their instant reactions from Cornell's win.
Quinnipiac’s star netminder saved all 39 shots she faced en route to the Bobcats’ 4-0 win, frustrating a Cornell offense that scored six goals the night prior.
“That's probably about as complete a game as we’ve played, going from start to finish,” Jones said.
“You’ve been playing really well five-on-five,” Derraugh said to his team midway through the second frame. “Let’s continue to do that and keep ourselves out of the box, or we’re gonna put ourselves in a bad spot.”
“This isn't a week where I have to wind anybody up. That's for sure,” Jones said. “It's more details and habits. They're ready to go. It’s a fun week as a player. They've got this one kind of circled.”
“We’re at a point now where we pretty much are going to have to win the ECAC tournament to get in the NCAA Tournament, or at least get to the [ECAC] championship game,” said head coach Doug Derraugh ’91.
“[I] thought we had our chances in the first and second and couldn't score,” Derraugh said. “And when you [have] a player like [Janecke], you can't give them that kind of time and space.”
Several long-standing men’s soccer awards went unawarded for nearly a decade following a coaching transition, according to a former player, before the University reinstated at least one award this past fall.
“We didn't play great in the third period and got exposed,” said head coach Casey Jones ’90. “I thought as skilled as they are and committed they are, they even did the little things better than us for the most part tonight.”