By wpengine November 8, 2002
Twice already this season, the football team (2-5, 1-3 Ivy) has shown the ability to bounce back from a difficult loss. Tomorrow, it will try to accomplish the feat once again, as it hosts Dartmouth (3-4, 2-2). The Red is coming off of a disappointing overtime loss to Princeton, while the Green was on the short end of its own heartbreaker last weekend, a 31-26 defeat to conference-leading Harvard. In arguably Cornell’s toughest defeat under the guidance of head coach Tim Pendergast, the Red squandered a 15-point fourth-quarter lead to the Tigers last Saturday. With the score knotted at 25 apiece with less than a minute remaining in regulation, Cornell held the ball deep in Princeton territory. However, senior quarterback Mick Razzano had his third down pass attempt deflected and intercepted, ending the Red threat. Princeton would go on to score a touchdown on its overtime possession while stymieing the Red in its attempt to even the score. Despite the difficult loss, Pendergast and his players have apparently moved past the disappointment. “Every loss is tough,” said Pendergast, “but the key is just live and learn and get over it. Success in any walk of life is built upon failure first.” Cornell will get no pity from this week’s opponent, however, as Dartmouth lost its homecoming last week despite a career day from quarterback Brian Mann, who threw for 382 yards and four touchdowns. In order for Cornell to earn its second league victory of the season, it must find a way to stop the Dartmouth aerial show, particularly Mann. On the season, the quarterback has thrown for 11 touchdowns and an Ivy-best 2012 yards. However, Mann is by no means purely a conventional pocket passer, as his 302 rushing yards are a testament to his mobility and ability to beat defenses with both his arm and legs. The Green also has two of the best receivers in the conference in the form of Jay Barnard and Casey Cramer. The wide outs are ranked third and fourth in the league in receptions, combining for 107 catches on the season. Cramer is third in the Ivies with 766 yards while Barnard isn’t too far behind with 639. Dartmouth, though, certainly isn’t a one-dimensional offense. Tailback Mike Giles is one of the premier runners in the league, currently ranking third in the Ivy League with 518 yards. While the Red’s defense will have its hands full with the Dartmouth passing attack, the Cornell offense will have the opportunity to exploit the Green’s pass defense, which is ranked last in the league, allowing over 289 yards per game. Cornell senior wide receiver Keith Ferguson, already the school’s all-time receptions leader, needs just 10 receiving yards to become the program’s career yardage leader. Although Ferguson may not perform a Terrell Owens-esque sharpie celebration, he will be prepared with a gimmick of his own. “If it happens when I score, I’m going to dunk the goalpost,” said Ferguson. “I’m going to do it, I swear, I’m going to dunk the goalpost.” Ferguson and his offensive mates understand that success in the passing game will be paramount to both teams’ chances of winning. However, the Red will continue to seek balance in its gameplan. “They’re going to attack us. They watch tape like we watch tape. We’re going to attack that [pass defense] as well,” said Ferguson. “Because they’re weak in the pass defense area doesn’t mean we’re not going to run as well. We’re still going to give [sophomore running back Marcus] Blanks the ball, and [senior quarterback] Mick [Razzano] is going to run some too. Whatever gives us the best chance to score, we’re going to do.” Blanks and senior running back Brian Ulbricht were relatively quiet in last week’s defeat, as the Red gained just 83 yards on the ground. Blanks, however, is fourth in the Ivy League with 425 yards, while Ulbricht has given Cornell a change of pace and 210 yards. With three games remaining on the schedule, Cornell still has a chance to finish with a winning Ivy League record. And although the team currently has just two victories — the same number that the 2001 version totaled — Pendergast and his staff remain upbeat. “This team has made progress over the last year,” said Pendergast. “It may not and it does not show in terms of the wins at this point, but we have a third of the season to go. So there’s lots of time to up the wins in the win column. “All of us, me included — first and foremost — have to do a better job of execution,” he concluded. Archived article by Alex Ip
By wpengine November 8, 2002
During her time as a star of the Cornell women’s lacrosse and volleyball teams, Jaimee Reynolds ’02 was never one who enjoyed the spotlight. But whether she liked it or not, Reynolds was thrust into it once more this past weekend, as she was honored as one of 10 finalists for the annual NCAA Woman of the Year Award. Reynolds, who was named the New York State Woman of the Year and then a finalist for the national honor in September, attended a banquet this past Saturday night in Indianapolis that honored the achievements of each of 50 state winners. True to form, Reynolds felt awkward on the national stage. “When I realized that there was an award out there that was meant to recognize a woman committed to athletics, academics, as well as community service, I was overwhelmed and wondered whether I was truly deserving of it,” she said. “Basically, I was excited to be considered on par with all of the other women I met that weekend, and I almost felt insufficient.” Career highlight films of the 10 national finalists were also shown at the banquet, which was attended by each of the state honorees, their families, and their coaches. “Members of the Cornell community have a knack for making me look good, usually better than I really am,” Reynolds commented about her highlight video. This year’s winner was Tanisha Silas, the UC-Davis track star. The award has been given by the NCAA in each of the past 12 years. While no Ivy League athlete has ever won this award, five others have been named finalists, including Jennifer Cobb ’92. Reynolds, the 2002 Cornell Daily Sun Athlete of the Year, had her greatest influence in women’s lacrosse. During her four years at Cornell, the Red improved from a mediocre 9-6 team in 1999 to last year’s 16-2 record-setting team which got to the Final Four. During the 2002 season, Reynolds set Cornell career records in points (204) and goals (144), as well as setting the single season marks in those categories with 74 and 57 respectively. She also led the team in ground balls (78) and draw controls (38), cementing her reputation as one of the best midfielders in the country. “I think I take the most pride in having seen her develop over the years,” said head coach Jenny Graap ’86. “I felt honored to have her on the team.” To Reynolds, the feeling is mutual. She attributes her success to “a desire to help people and show my teachers that I have learned what they taught me. Whether they were teaching me how to catch a ball, add 2+2, smile, or laugh at myself, they were there to help me along the way, supporting me, and making sure I was having fun.” She was a unanimous first-team All-Ivy selection for the third consecutive year. She was also a first-team All-American in 2002, the first Cornellian to be named an All-American during all four years. She was named to the Tewaaraton Award watch list and was a finalist for the Honda Award, given annually to the nation’s top women’s lacrosse player. On the volleyball court, Reynolds was a starting setter and middle blocker, and places eighth on the Red’s career assists list (1,036) and 16th in blocks with 108. The former biological and environmental engineering major was a member of the Red Key Athletic Honorary Society and was named a Verizon Academic All-American four times. In 2001, she received the Richie Moran Award, the highest honor awarded to a member of the Red Key Society. Reynolds is currently doing graduate work in biomedical engineering at the University of Rochester. “She was a great example of the right way to do things. She was very dedicated to her academics and to her sports,” said Graap. “She always kept her priorities in order.” The NCAA Women of the Year banquet will air on Dec. 3 on ESPN.Archived article by Owen Bochner