By TROY BRIDSON
After a back and forth first half, Cornell (10-5, 4-1 Ivy) and Brown (6-8, 1-4 Ivy) were both playing solid field hockey, as the score was tied at 1-1. Both teams were moving the ball well and had chances to take the lead. However, sophomore forward Krysten Mayers stepped up and allowed for Cornell to break away with a goal.
Cornell never looked back, adding four more goals in a resounding 6-1 win. Mayers has been dominant for the Cornell offense this season leading the scoring right behind senior captain and defender Marisa Siergiej.
Jason Ben Nathan / Sun Senior Photographer
Sophomore forward Krysten Mayers, pictured above, scored for the Red Saturday.
“[During the] first half, Brown played a very tight defense,” said head coach Donna Hornibrook.
However, with the start of the second half, Cornell began to take control of the game. Mayers’ goal opened things up for the Red and the team put constant pressure on the Brown defense in the second half, finishing with 18 total shots and 10 shots on goal. In contrast, Brown’s offense was only able to muster four total shots, with only one shot on goal. The Cornell defense, led by Marisa Siergiej, stifled the Brown offense.
“Our backfield did a pretty good job and our midfield moved the ball well,” Hornibrook said.
One of the standout performances in the match came from freshman midfielder Isabel Siergiej, who added two goals and two assists on the day. Siergiej was involved in most of the offensive attacks.
“Isabel Sergiej had a fantastic game,” Hornibrook said.
Going into Sunday, Cornell was looking to develop some consistency and string together back-to-back wins.
“We really want to have a consistent team performance throughout the entire game,” Hornibrook said before Sunday’s match.
Cornell did just that on Sunday afternoon, dominating play from the beginning of the match. The team improved to 10-5 on the season with an impressive 7-0 win at home against Lehigh (4-12). Cornell has now won five out of its last six matches.
It was a confident and decisive performance from the entire team. Marisa Siergiej and junior forward Katy Weeks both added two goals. Isabel Siergiej continued her hot streak in Sunday’s match, adding another goal to her season total. In a similar showing to the Brown game, the Cornell defense was electric, stopping every Lehigh attack.
Cornell is now only one game behind Ivy League leaders Princeton (8-5, 5-0 Ivy). In a league where every game is crucial, the Brown victory was very important in helping the Red in league standings. Cornell will travel to Princeton next weekend in a duel for first place in the Ivy League.
If Cornell can continue its dominant play from its previous two games against Brown and Lehigh, the team should have success against Princeton. The group of women is confident and experienced. Cornell is also playing the best field hockey of its season right now, so it is a great time to be taking on the division leaders.