Tomorrow, the women’s soccer team (7-2-2, 1-1-1 Ivy) travels to New Haven, Conn. for a pivotal Ivy League match with Yale (6-5-1, 0-2-1 Ivy). Coming off a three-game unbeaten streak, the Red looks to avenge the loss of a year ago, when the Bulldogs earned their first league win of the year on the pitch at Berman Field.
The Yale offense is led by sophomore forward Laurel Karnes. Though her team-high six goals may seem low, Karnes has the ability to find the back of the net if given the chance.
Karnes and the rest of the Bulldog strikers will face one of the best defensive units in the Northeast in Cornell, who is holding opponents to a stingy 1.20 goals a game even without injured All-Ivy goalkeeper, junior Katie Thomas. Out with a concussion, Thomas has turned the netminding duties over to freshman Katrina Matlin. Matlin has done well in the three games she’s played, earning a shutout against Army and giving up only 1.30 goals a game.
The play of Cornell’s back line, led by senior captains Lindsay Rovegno and Jo Galardy, has been tremendous. Aside from playing airtight defense throughout the season and starting the possession-style game that has been the team’s trademark, the Red defense has also contributed in the offensive half. Defenders have accounted for two goals and an assist, by Galardy and junior Natalie Dew, and Rovegno respectively.
Senior captain Emily Knight has scored three times as many goals all by herself, and this is a good thing. Knight is Cornell’s star forward and has found net nine times in 11 games. Combined with her three assists, Knight is good for more than a point a game.
Many of Knight’s goals have been set up by speedy sophomore forward Shannon Fraser.
Fraser has four assists on the season and her quickness and size will pose a match-up problem for Yale’s defensive front.
The tandem of Knight and Fraser have accounted for more than 50 percent of Cornell’s offensive production this season.
Kickoff is at 4 p.m.
Archived article by Per Ostman