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In the 42nd minute, Cornell’s Alanna Colbert sent a pass across the face of the goal from the right flank to Sydney Allen. The Big Red forward was first to it and headed the ball into the back of the net. The goal came just two minutes after the Orange tied the game at 1-1 and allowed Cornell to regain the lead at 2-1.

Allen’s goal proved to be the game-winner. In Syracuse’s first road game of the season also came its first loss. After getting out to its best start to a season since 1997, Syracuse (4-1-1, Atlantic Coast Conference) fell 2-1 at Cornell (1-0-2, Ivy League) Sunday. For the second year in a row, SU fell to the Big Red after losing 1-0 a year ago.

In the sixth minute, Cornell’s Abigail Bishara fed a pass upfield to Ava Laden. Laden faked out SU freshman defender Anna Croyle and the ball ran through the legs of Croyle. Laden met it on the other side and then approached the box. The sequence ended with a shot wide of the mark.

Laden latched onto the end of a cross four minutes later, but Syracuse goalkeeper Shea Vanderbosch pounced on the loose ball to quell the danger.

Cornell’s high press created more early chances for the Big Red. Tanum Nelson won the ball in Cornell’s attacking third and found Laken Gallman, who fired her shot to the chest of Vanderbosch.

But the Orange broke the press to create their first chance of the game in the 20th minute. SU midfielder Maya McDermott battled to claim the ball in the midfield before spraying a through ball down the left wing. Erin Flurey got to it first before beating her defender around the corner. Flurey cut into the box but pulled her shot into the outside of the net.

A minute later, on a corner kick, Cornell converted the first goal of the game. In the 21st minute, Lily Ellingson served an arcing cross that Gaby Gonzalez headed on frame. Vanderbosch repelled the first attempt but on the second bid, Gallman put the ball into the goal from close range.

On a 40th-minute throw-in, while Cornell was protesting for the ball to be its own, Syracuse tied the match. Defender Iba Oching took a quick throw-in to Julia Dening, who had her back to the goal. Dening spun to beat the first defender, Cornell’s Gonzalez. Dening then poked the ball past the rushing Maddie Leroy and placed her shot into the bottom right corner to make it 1-1.

The score didn’t hold for long. Less than two minutes after SU tied the game, Cornell regained the lead via Allen.

Syracuse midfielder Ashley Rauch tried her luck from long range in the 52nd minute, but her effort hit over the crossbar. Rauch had another shot two minutes after creating an opening from outside the box, but Cornell goalkeeper Natalie Medugno made the stop.

In the 54th minute, Cornell nearly added to its 2-1 lead. Reinna Gabriel unleashed a shot from the left of the box. Vanderbosch could only watch as the effort curled towards the top corner, hit the woodwork and went high.

Syracuse also clattered the crossbar moments later when Anna Rupert’s bid missed the net.

Corners were a source of many Cornell opportunities throughout the game. From a corner in the 62nd minute, Gonzalez directed a header on goal that forced a save by Vanderbosch and a goal-line scramble to clear the danger. The Big Red had nine corners during the game and nearly all were threats.

As the clock hit single digits, Ellingson dribbled at Oching down the left wing and sent a pass across the face of the goal. The ball deflected off SU defender Kylen Grant, who was facing her own goal, but floated over the bar to safety.

Cornell pushed the clock down the stretch. It held onto the ball in the corner and took its time on throw-ins and set pieces. It was enough to hand Syracuse its first loss of its season and give Cornell its first win.

Published on September 1, 2024 at 4:55 pm

Contact Nicholas: ajalumka@syr.edu