Cornell returned home to Schoellkopf Field to defeat the Lions in a battle of the New York Ivies, continuing an unusual trend of three straight 12-6 victories, earning its first Ivy conference win of the season.
Fresh off its win on the road against Boston University (5-6,1-2 Patriot League) last weekend, this past Saturday, the Red (6-3, 1-1 Ivy League) obtained an early lead against Columbia (6-3, 0-2 Ivy League), allowing them to win the matchup by a score of 12-6.
While Columbia possessed the majority of draw controls, the Lions were no match for Cornell’s explosive offense led by senior attacker Ella Wilmot’s 6-point performance, including two goals and four assists, alongside junior attacker Ellie Bergin’s hat trick.
Senior attacker Emily Iacobellis and sophomore attacker Kathleen Michaud got the ball rolling early, putting the Red up 2-0 within the first six minutes of the game. However, Columbia retaliated with a goal of its own, cutting the deficit to one.
Cornell responded with two goals of its own, one by sophomore midfielder Lexie Tully and the second within the final minute of the first quarter by Bergin assisted by Wilmot, pushing its lead 4-1 by the end of the first quarter.
Cornell would not be put to rest to start the second quarter, as Bergin went on to score two more goals, assisted by Wilmot. Sophomore attacker Lilly Whaling added the seventh goal to extend its unstoppable 5-0 run at halftime.
By the time the Red entered the locker room, it overpowered a struggling Lions team, with a 7-2 lead.
Cornell came out of halftime with renewed control, winning the first draw of the half after the Lions held a 7-3 advantage in the circle through the first half. The extra possessions helped the Red settle into its offense, which remained especially sharp from midfield, where Cornell shot better than 50% on 13 attempts.
Still, the Lions began to build momentum with stronger ball control in the third quarter. At the 10:15 mark, the Lions struck, decreasing the Red lead to four.
The pressure continued to mount when a trail check by Wilmot led to a card, giving Columbia a player-up opportunity that they converted, further minimizing the deficit to three goals. Another foul committed by Lexie gave the Lions a second player-up advantage, furthering the Lions' shift in momentum.
However, the Red responded with the spark it needed. Wilmot came through with an uncharacteristic finish, ripping a shot from the center of the field, threading it through the defense to increase the Red lead to 8-4. Usually known as a crease player, Wilmot’s strike gave the Red a jolt of momentum at a critical moment and helped steady the team just as Columbia seemed poised to make a push.
The momentum shift carried over in the fourth quarter as the Red wasted no time extending its lead. Freshman midfielder Maddie Tully opened the scoring only minutes into the quarter, marking her second straight game with a goal.
The final quarter remained physical throughout as the Lions continued to take advantage of player-up advantage. Columbia capitalized on one of these advantages, cutting the deficit to 9-5.
However, each time the Lions threatened to build real momentum, the Red had an answer. Just two minutes later, Lexie restored the Red’s five-goal cushion and after a two minute Columbia penalty for a dangerous shot, sophomore attacker Lilly Whaling made the advantage count, stretching the lead to 11-5.
The Lions made one last push, capitalizing on another player-up advantage, but would ultimately come up short. The Red had the final word. With just 90 seconds left, Michaud scored the final goal, sealing a 12-6 win and sending the Red into next weekend on a three-game winning streak.
The Red will now turn its focus towards another home game this Saturday, March 28, when Dartmouth (6-3, 1-1, Ivy League) comes to Schoellkopf Field. All the action will be available live on ESPN+.
