After the initial elation of last weekend’s victory over Yale had finally subsided, the women’s soccer team went on the road last night to Buffalo in hopes of starting its first win streak of the season. Instead, the Red (2-10-1, 1-2 Ivy) found itself in an all too familiar place when the game was over, as Buffalo (7-8) trotted off the field with a 3-0 victory.
Instead of the usual travel squad, interim head coach Gretchen Zigante brought with her a slew of young players and fielded a starting eleven that included just three of the team’s regular starters. In what appeared to be a game to give experience to many of the Red’s regular backups, Zigante played a total of 20 players, 14 of whom were underclassmen.
The first half placed the teams on level pegging with no goals scored and both teams mustering only three shots on net apiece.
[img_assist|nid=19047|title=Serve and protect|desc=Senior forward Alison McKeown (left) protects the ball from a Yale defender in a match earlier this season.|link=popup|align=left|width=100|height=93]
Buffalo head coach Jean-A. Tassy must have fired up his squad during the break as the second half took on a very different tune — one of attack for the Bulls. Buffalo would come out to take a two-goal lead in the first 25 minutes after halftime and allowed the Red only one shot on net during the final 45 minutes. Ashley Turner would start the scoring with her fourth goal of the season in the 55th minute and Andrea Vescio, the Bulls’ leading scorer, would tally her fifth of the campaign 14 minutes later.
Brooke McCalla provided the nail in the coffin when she beat Cornell freshman goalie Carlyn Swensen in the 81st minute. Swensen split time in net with sophomore Taylor Hendren, who played 20-of-the-90 total minutes.
Freshman Kathleen Bubrick led the offensive attack for Cornell, placing two shots on goal, while junior Mariye Wick and sophomore Megan Joerger each had a shot as well. Only those four of the Reds 10 total shots were within the frame. Buffalo keeper Amy Coron was able to save all of them.
On the other side, Buffalo placed 6-of-its-18 shots on net — half were saved by Swensen, while the other half found their way all the way to the twine. The three goals equaled the most scored against the Red all season as Buffalo avenged its 2-1 loss to the Red from a year ago.
