Sunday, October 9
Ulrich Sports Complex
3:00:00 PM
Lehigh University
3
vs
4
Cornell
Late Cornell charge downs Lehigh, 4-3
10/9/2011 10:35:00 PM | Field Hockey
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Cornell scored two goals within a 1:50 span late in the second half to turn a one-goal Lehigh lead into a one-goal deficit as the Big Red went on to down the Mountain Hawks, 4-3, on a warm Sunday afternoon at Ulrich Field. Senior Caitlin Donnelly broke a 2-2 deadlock with a goal at 51:44, but Cornell responded less than 12 minutes later. The Mountain Hawks remain home for games four and five of their homestand as they welcome Penn on Wednesday and Bucknell on Saturday.
“It was a good battle and a great game,” said Lehigh head coach Stacey Blue. “Playing back-to-back days seemed to hurt us a bit towards the end; we seemed to let up a bit after we scored the go-ahead goal. But overall, the effort was there.”
Cornell controlled play in the early going, posting the game's first six shots, four on goal. Lehigh goalkeeper Sierra Segear made the first three saves, but couldn't stop a nifty tip off a penalty corner as Katerine Stone made the tip of a Brittany Thompson shot to make it 1-0 Big Red at 6:47.
The Mountain Hawks began to earn better chances on the attack, which led to their first goal, also off a corner. Junior Kim Eng scored for the third straight game, taking a quick pass from freshman Steph Fratoni before her ensuing shot beat Cornell goalkeeper Carolyn Horner low.
Lehigh made it 2-1 less than seven minutes later off another corner as junior Kelsey Zeswitz found the back of the cage. The initial shot was tipped, but Zeswitz corralled it near the post and converted her first goal of the season. That goal was also assisted by Fratoni.
“Offensively, we're passing great,” said Blue. “We're making good step-ups and when we're able to do those things, it leads to the attack.”
Holding a 2-1 advantage into the second half, Cornell pulled even at 48:12 when Brittany Thompson made a quick pass to Hannah Balleza in front, who fired a low shot past Segear.
It looked as if the Mountain Hawks had scored the game-winner just 3:32 later when Donnelly scored her third of the season, from fellow senior Abby Tilton.
However, that set up the Big Red for one last charge and they converted, scoring at 63:34 and 65:24 to make it 4-3. Lehigh went on to threaten in the final minutes, but it wasn't enough.
Cornell led the final shot count, 15-14 while the Mountain Hawks held a 10-3 edge on penalty corners. Segear finished with six saves, Cornell's Horner made five in the first half while Alex Botte came in to make three in the second.
The Mountain Hawks return home this week for a pair. They first welcome their second straight Ivy League opponent in the Penn Quakers on Wednesday at 7 p.m. before hosting Patriot League rival Bucknell on Senior Day Saturday.
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