An October afternoon chill swept through Karl Van Norman Field as the Red looked to turn effort into results. Sprint football matched Mansfield University hit for hit and drive for drive, but the Mountaineers’ ground game and timely defensive stands proved decisive in a physical, hard-fought contest.
The Red (0-5, 0-3 CSFL) entered Saturday’s matchup hungry for its first win, coming off a home loss to Army West Point. From the opening kickoff, Cornell looked sharp. Its offense leaned on rhythm, and its defense refused to give up easy yards. But while momentum came in flashes, Mansfield (4-1, 2-0 CSFL) steadily wore the Red down as the afternoon went on.
“Going into the game, I was pretty confident that we'd be able to win. Coach Kelly had a really good game plan for us,” said freshman linebacker Jason Milo.
Cornell’s defense set the tone early. Milo and freshman wide receiver Dylan Leaird anchored a disciplined unit that limited Mansfield’s explosive plays through much of the first half. In search of their first score of the game, senior kicker Sumner Roberts drilled a 31-yard field goal with only 1:40 left in the second quarter.
“In the first half, we were just doing a good job of filling the gaps, tackling and rallying to the football,” Milo said. “Our edge players and safeties were doing a good job at secondary containment, and the D-line was eating up blocks so the O-line couldn't get to the secondary.”
By halftime, Cornell trailed just 7-3, thanks to a balanced approach from junior quarterback Stefano Luis, who spread the ball across multiple targets. Senior wide receiver Leo Madera Castellanos was a steady presence, hauling in several key receptions to move the chains. Junior tight end Andrew Lay also found space over the middle, helping the Red control possession for extended stretches.
“Going into halftime, we probably played our best half of defensive football … we only let in one touchdown,” Milo noted. “We needed to fix the small details and discipline by reading our keys, staying aligned and doing our jobs every snap.”
Luis completed 11 of 16 attempted passes in the opening half for 122 yards, while freshman wide receiver Kyle Melkonian chipped in 28 yards on the ground. The Red’s composure and clock management kept the Mountaineers’ offense off the field, a stark contrast to earlier weeks.
Cornell started the third quarter with more of the same grit. Roberts kicked again, this time from 24 yards out, trimming Mansfield’s lead to 7-6 and briefly swinging momentum toward the visitors. But the Mountaineers responded with two quick scoring drives, a 17-yard rushing touchdown followed by a 31-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Quaker to Matt Machmer, to stretch the advantage to 20-6.
Still, the Red refused to fade. Luis continued to attack through the air, leading a late 47-yard drive capped by a three-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Andrew Lay with just over two minutes remaining. The score, Lay’s fourth of the season, marked the team’s most efficient red-zone series of the year.
Luis finished the day completing 23-33 passes for 241 yards and one touchdown. Madera led the receiving corps with seven catches for 112 yards, while Lay added four receptions for 37 yards and a score. Roberts was a perfect 2-2 on field goals, continuing his streak from distance.
Defensively, the Red’s front seven stayed relentless even as the game wore on. Milo led the unit with 16 total tackles, including several stops behind the line of scrimmage. Leaird followed with 13 tackles, displaying impressive range from sideline to sideline. Junior defensive lineman Brandon Tauscher added a forced fumble, while senior linebacker Alexei DiDonato contributed seven tackles and multiple pressures on the Mountaineers.
“Honestly, 16 tackles is the most tackles I've ever had in a single game [between high school and college],” Milo said. “I felt at that moment that I was involved in a lot of plays, but didn’t expect to have a big game like that.”
Despite the 27-13 final, the Red’s resilience stood out. Cornell dominated time of possession once again, sustained multiple drives for 10 or more plays and executed its cleanest passing performance of the season. The pieces are there; it’s now a matter of converting fight into finish.
“This was definitely a tough loss, but it just reinforces our two big factors of practice recently: details and discipline. We’re narrowing our focus going into these last three weeks to try and rack up some victories and end on a high note,” Milo said. “As a team, we also need to cut back on turnovers and eliminate big plays that lead to touchdowns. Personally, I dropped an interception I should have had, so I’ll be getting extra work in this week.”
Cornell will look to carry that determination into its next contest when it visits Caldwell University at 4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 1, at Bonnell Field in West Caldwell, N.J. The game will stream live on the CACC Network as the Red seeks to break through for its first win of the season.
Sureya Lopez is a member of the Class of 2029 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a staff writer for the sports department and can be reached at slopez@cornellsun.com.
