After a long season, the field hockey team (3-12, 1-5 Ivy) will play its last game of the year against the Dartmouth Green (5-11, 2-4) tomorrow in Hanover, N.H. Both teams have had rough stretches during this year. Cornell comes into this match having lost five straight and 11 out of its last 12. Dartmouth started the year losing its first 10 contests, though it has recently turned things around, winning five out of its last six.
“We have had similar seasons,” said senior goalie Kaitlin Tierney adding, “they have lost alot of key players. Goal for goal, we match up pretty well.”
The game will also mark the last time that seven members of the team suit up for the Red.
These seniors — forwards Carissa Mirasol, Lindsay Grace, midfielder Karleigh Burns, backs Kimmy Gardner, Ali Winsky, Kelly Soltis and goalie Tierney — have combined to be one of the more successful classes in recent memory. Among its accomplishments was Cornell’s record nine wins season a year ago, and having the second All-American (Mirasol in 2001) in school history.
This year ,the senior class has continued to lead the squad in many categories. Burns is first in scoring with nine points on the year (three goals, three assists), while Gardner and Grace are tied for third with four points each. Winsky and Soltis have been solid contributors in the backfield while Tierney has been impressive in net for the Red by making many key saves throughout the year and posting a 2.37 goals against average and .756 save percentage.
To win though, the Red will have to avoid the problem that has plagued the team throughout the season — namely an inability to come out on top in close contests. Last weekend, the Red fell to Colgate 2-0 to drop its fifth straight. Both goals came only one minute and 39 seconds apart in the second half. The week before, Cornell fell to Brown 2-1 after surrendering two goals in the final 15 minutes of the contest, and to Syracuse 2-1 in double overtime after holding an early lead.
“It has been a transition year,” said Tierney. “We have had to adapt to a new style of play. in the two months we’ve played, we have learned so much. Even though we don’t have that many wins, overall, we have been getting better.”
The Green has collected several impressive victories, including an overtime victory against Harvard a week ago. Rebekka Stucker who has been dangerous on penalty corners, leads the team in scoring with 33 points on the year including 16 goals. Averill Doering is second on the team with 15 points, including 11 assists in only nine games. Lexie Otto and Lindsay Gossage have also been dangerous for the Green with seven assists each on the year.
In net, Lauren Balukjian has been solid for the Green in the past few games. She had 11 saves in a victory over Massachusetts and eight saves in the win over Harvard.
“Hopefully we can come back with a ‘W’,” said Tierney.
Archived article by Chris Callanan