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In the 81st minute, Shea Vanderbosch notched her fifth save of the game, allowing Syracuse to push the ball up the field needing an equalizer. SU swung the ball around midfield finding Aysia Cobb in Cornell’s defensive zone. Looking to ignite the Orange’s offense, Cobb threaded the ball down the field for Hannah Pilley.

Piley had a step on Cornell’s Mia Gonzalez, getting the first touch on the ball as she entered the penalty box, but Gonzalez quickly made a sliding tackle and poked the ball away. However, Alyssa Abramson was right there. Abramson took a one-touch left-footed shot that barely soared over the crossbar. In their best opportunity of the game to score, the Orange failed to capitalize.

Cornell (2-0-1, 0-0 Ivy League Conference) blanked Syracuse (2-4-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), defeating it 1-0 and beating their in-state rival for the first time in program history. Throughout the game, Cornell stifled the Orange’s offense, holding them to only two shots on goal while outshooting them 12-7. In its first six games played, Syracuse’s offense has been shut out three times.

After Syracuse failed to register a shot in the first 18 minutes, Cobb controlled the ball near the outer right part of Cornell’s penalty box. Advancing toward the goal line, Cobb made an inside move to shake her defender, putting her in a better position to get a shot on goal.

While Cobb created free space, she had a defender closing in on her from the left — forcing her to fire off a left-footed shot before the defender reached her. Cobb missed the target to the right, squandering the Orange’s first scoring chance.

Neither team threatened until Cornell possessed the ball deep into Syracuse’s defensive zone with under 11 minutes remaining in the first half.

Following a Big Red throw-in, the ball was pinballed between SU’s defense and Cornell’s attackers. As the ball approached Abigail Bishara in the air, Bishara mustered a header forward, bouncing over Sydney Malaga toward the penalty box.

Syracuse defender Kylen Grant stepped up with the ball still in the air, pressuring Malaga, but Malaga stuck her foot out and kicked the ball forward. The ball landed near the top of the penalty box behind the Orange’s defense. Gonzalez sprinted toward the ball from the right sideline.

When she got to the ball, Gonzalez only took one touch before attempting a shot. Vanderbosch inched out toward the top of the goal area and got her right hand on the ball, but Gonzalez’s shot skidded into the net despite the effort.

Opening the second half, Cornell looked to extend its lead. Reagan Pauwels sent a pass to Reinna Gabriel near midfield while Ava Laden made a run towards the penalty box. Gabriel delivered a perfect pass that landed on the lip of the 18-yard box. With only Vanderbosch to beat, Laden took an extra touch in the penalty box before ripping a shot. Vandrebosch didn’t come out to challenge, staying near the end line which helped her block the shot in the 47th minute.

In the 57th minute following a foul by SU’s Kate Murphy near midfield, Cecily Pokigo took a free kick for Cornell. Pokigo launched the ball, requiring Vanderbosch to jump up to make a play. Vanderbosch initially bobbled the ball, but she came down with it, preventing any danger for the Big Red.

On the ensuing possession, the Orange advanced the ball to Cornell’s defensive side of the field. Like they did for the majority of the game, the Orange quickly lost possession and Cornell found Pauwels along the left sideline. Pauwels dribbled the ball all the way into the penalty box, giving the Big Red another opportunity to extend their lead.

Two Syracuse defenders approached Pauwels and Vanderbosch shifted to hug the left goal post. With enough pressure, SU’s backline did just enough to force an errant shot.

The Orange held Cornell to only three shots for the rest of the game, but its offense couldn’t string anything together. SU’s first shot of the second half came in the 55th minute, but it took nearly 30 minutes for its next attempt when Abramson’s shot missed high in the 82nd minute.

SU’s last scoring chance came in the 88th minute after Abramson sent a cross into the penalty box from the left sideline. Ashley Rauch only barely made contact for a header, giving Natalie Medugno an easy last save of the game.

Published on September 3, 2023 at 4:17 pm

Contact Justin: justingirshon@gmail.com | @JustinGirshon