The Cornell women’s soccer team has been struggling, not having won since Sept. 22nd. However, the visiting Brown Bears (3-7-0, 0-3 Ivy) may be just what the doctor ordered. Brown enters the game having lost four of its last five matches, including two Ivy League contests during that stretch. It is quite possibly the only team as frigid as the Red.
The Red (2-5-2, 1-2) is mired in a six-game winless streak. After bursting out of the gates with two wins in its first three games, Cornell has struggled mightily. The greatest concern is the team’s apparent lack of firepower on offense. The impotent group has managed to score just eight goals in nine games this year, and has already been shut out four times.
As the offense has sputtered, the defense and freshman goalkeeper Katie Thomas have come under great duress and have been scored on of late. The Red has allowed at least two goals in each of its last four games, including three-goal efforts from Ivy-foe Harvard and Army.
Last Saturday’s game against Harvard was indicative of the Red’s recent troubles. The 3-0 loss to the league-leading team was especially troubling considering that Cornell dug itself an inescapable hole just 10 minutes into the contest. Two defensive miscues cost the Red dearly, as Harvard capitalized on both errors and took a commanding 2-0 lead.
Brown has had its own share of problems this season. The Bears looked like world-beaters after its 5-0 thrashing of Providence in its first game of the season. However, since that game, the Bears have been caught on a slippery slope that has led to the cellar of the Ivy League.
The Bears have had troubles both offensively and defensively. Since the first game outburst, they have managed to score just six goals in the subsequent nine games. Brown has also given up a league-high twenty goals. However, it does enter tomorrow’s match on a high note, after breaking its season-high four game losing streak with a gutsy 1-0 win over Holy Cross Wednesday.
Freshman striker Kim Hagner is the Bears most dangerous weapon, as she has the lone Brown goal in Ivy competition this season. Paired with Hagner is senior forward Kim Lanzire, who is Brown’s leading scorer. Senior Mary Jo Markle starts in net. Markle is coming off her first career shutout in this week’s 1-0 win.
While playing the cellar-dweller, Brown, might not be as exciting as facing off against nationally-ranked Harvard, the Red players will no doubt have their game faces on.
“We try to bring the same intensity to every game,” junior co-captain Sarah Olsen said. “We’re still confident, and we’ve had a full week of practice. We’re ready for Brown.”
Cornell will seek its first home victory of the year tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. on Berman Field.
Archived article by Alex Ip