For the first time since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Cornell field hockey team stands at 2-0 in the Ivy League.
The squad (3-2, 2-0) accomplished this feat yesterday in its home opener, as it defeated Penn 3-1. It knocked off Columbia on Sept. 16.
Senior co-captain Kate McMahon score 10:23 into the contest to open the scoring off an assist from freshman Karleight Burns. Less than a minute and a half later junior Ashleigh Snelson put the Red up 2-0. Snelson hit the post on her first shot, but Pennsylvania’s goalkeeper Carrie Wilhelm was out of position for the rebound, which Snelson drove home. Sophomore standout Anna Starkey earned the assist.
Starkey then put the game out of reach when she rattled the cage at the 24:28 mark of the game. McMahon and sophomore Sarah Nordstrom both garnered assists on the third Red goal.
Penn made an attempt to rally, as Maria Karas scored at the 44:35 mark, but senior goalkeeper Maureen Sullivan held the Quakers in check.
Both teams were able to get off nine shots, but the difference in the game may have been the play of Sullivan. Cornell got five saves from the netminder, while Penn’s Wilhelm only managed to stop two shots.
Penn did manage to earn more penalty corners than the Red, 5-3.
Cornell will play Lehigh this Wednesday at 5 p.m. in the second contest of a four game home stand.
Archived article by J.V. Anderton