By wpengine November 14, 2003
The men’s polo team will look to bounce back from last weekend’s disappointing 19-15 loss to Connecticut in tonight’s match against Skidmore at 7 p.m. in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Entering its match against the Huskies, the undefeated Red was riding high over its early season success, which included a 20-6 dismantling of UConn earlier this year. However, after surging to an early six-goal lead, Cornell proceeded to lose its focus and composure, eventually losing the match. “The guys got in there and they played a really good first chukker and came out focused,” commented head coach David Eldredge ’81. However, Eldredge felt his team fell into the mentality of: “This is easy, a cake walk, no problem. UConn played the whole game and that was the difference.” Eldredge is confidant that the mistakes of last weekend will not repeat themselves in the match against Skidmore. He expects his team to play with greater intensity, avoiding the complacency that was the downfall of the Red last weekend. “I think they’re going to be a whole lot more focused than they were at UConn,” commented Eldredge. “The loss last week really opened their eyes. They realized that they have to continue to work at this, and that this is not just a few games, but a whole season.” Although the men face a less talented team this weekend against Skidmore, the Red will still have to adjust to a smaller arena that gave the women’s team some difficulties in its match last Friday against Skidmore. “It’s going to be difficult scenario for them as far as adjusting to [the smaller arena], but I think they’ll probably do quite well with it and shouldn’t have too much trouble with it,” said Eldredge. Meanwhile, the women’s team returns home after last weekend’s 17-9 thrashing of Skidmore, for an 8:15 p.m. match against Buffalo’s Teabrook Polo Club tomorrow. “It’s going to be a competitive match,” remarked Eldredge. “It’ll be a good one for us. We’re possibly going to be able to get some other people in and have a look at them to see where we stand.” One concern for Eldredge is the condition of senior Harriet Antczak, who mildly injured her wrist on the way to scoring 15 goals last weekend against Skidmore. “She’s probably not going to play as much this weekend so that she can rest her wrist,” commented Eldredge on the playing status of Antczak. “We really want her to be healthy for the Field tournament.” For both the men’s and women’s teams this weekend, the competition should provide a valuable chance to fine-tune their play before the following weekend’s Bill Field Invitational, a marquee event for the fall season. “I think this is a weekend where the team is not necessarily looking ahead to the Field Tournament, but they’re definitely using this as a stepping stone into the tournament to get themselves prepared,” explained Eldredge. “It should be a good competitive weekend for us.” Archived article by Paul Testa
By wpengine November 14, 2003
Last season, Cornell salvaged a win at Columbia with a 44-yard Mick Razzano pass to then junior receiver John Kellner. Cornell scored on the drive, eeking out a 17-14 win in the frosty New York November. Tomorrow, against the Lions (3-5, 2-3 Ivy), the Red (1-7, 0-5) finds itself in a similar situation. While the Red entered the season with high hopes, hunting for an Ivy title, it has since gone the other way. After losses to Yale, Harvard, Brown, Princeton and Dartmouth, the players are still optimistic. They’re looking to finish strong, and once again pull out a come-from-behind victory. This time, however, the team is looking to salvage its season. “It’s not tough to keep going because this is what we live for,” said senior co-captain Kevin Rooney. “You only get 10 chances every year.” Head coach Tim Pendergast agreed, noting that the team has appeared extremely motivated for this weekend’s game. “I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t tough in terms of losses, but these players haven’t given up,” he said. “They’re excited, they’re juiced, and it says a lot about the character of this team.” Yet, after a 16-13 last-second upset win against Harvard last weekend, the same thing can be said of Columbia. The Lions’ offense has recently blossomed on the arm of quarterback Jeff Otis. Last week alone, he threw for 253 yards and a touchdown. “[Columbia’s] passing game is definitely very strong. They’re right at the top of the league and they have a very good quarterback,” said Rooney. “He fields pressure well and he finds his receivers.” Rooney and his coaches also noted how an effective pass rush could be a the key to shutting down the Lions’ offense. “Up front, we’re just going to get after him, try to be in his face all day,” he said. “We have got a consistent pass rush the past few weeks, and we need to get more,” agreed Pendergast. Still, Otis is just one of Columbia’s offensive threats. Lions tight end Wade Fletcher poses more of a problem to the defense, particularly the secondary. “He’s a big boy, 6-7, 240 — he’s one of [Otis’s] better targets,” said senior safety Neil Morrissey. “We’re looking to shut him down. We see him as the key to the offense. We’re really looking to focus on him, take him out, and then dismantle them from there.” Rooney had exactly the same idea. “We’ll try to jam him off the line and definitely have our eyes out for him,” he said. “He’s the main target for them.” Cornell, however, is not without offensive firepower of its own. Starting his fourth game of the season, senior quarterback D.J. Busch will again look to use his arm to march the Red downfield. Additionally, Cornell’s leading tailback, sophomore Josh Johnston, is back from injury and should add to the Red’s already dangerous ground attack. Still, Cornell will have to work hard against the Columbia defense. “Columbia was obviously able to do some good things defensively — holding Harvard well below their average — and they were able to take the ball away a couple of times,” said Pendergast. Senior receiver Vic Yanz compared the Lions to Dartmouth, which also beat Harvard just a week before facing Cornell. “Just looking at tape and everything, on the defensive side of the ball, I don’t think Columbia is as solid as Dartmouth was last week,” he said. “But we still have our work cut out for us, and it’s still going to take a lot of preparation.” Yanz and the team’s sixteen other seniors have been preparing for this game over the past four years of their Cornell careers. The game against Columbia marks the last time they will play on Schoellkopf field. “It’s tough obviously,” said Yanz of the team’s 1-7 record. “This isn’t where we wanted to be. We had expectations that were sky high, and we just didn’t get off to a good start.” But it doesn’t mean that he or any of his teammates are going to give up now. “We’re still going out and playing hard, and trying to win games,” he said.Archived article by Matt Janiga