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Second Half Surge Lifts No. 3 UVa Over Cornell, 5-2
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ITHACA, N.Y. – A second half surge of four goals lifted the third-ranked Virginia field hockey to its ninth victory of the season in a 5-2 defeat of Cornell Sunday in Ithaca, N.Y. Freshman Elly Buckley and junior Paige Selenski each scored twice in the win, while senior Haley Carpenter notched her first goal of the season.
Virginia outshot the Big Red 20-9 for the contest, including an 11-3 advantage in the second half. The Cavaliers took eight penalty corners, while Cornell finished with five.
“It took some time today before we could establish our game,” Virginia head coach Michele Madison said. “Cornell’s style of play forced us into a different attack mode, but once we used what was available, we were able to generate what we needed to dominate possession and score goals.”
UVa took a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute when Selenski (Shavertown, Pa.) scored her first goal of the game. Carpenter (Virginia Beach, Va.) took the initial shot, which was saved, but the senior scooped up the rebound and fed Selenski to her right, who put it in for the goal.
The Big Red, however, was able to tie the game 10 minutes later. Catie De Sito maneuvered her way around the UVa defense and shot it to the far post for a 1-1 contest. The game was tied at halftime.
“Cornell was relentless in its pursuit; they are a well-coached team,” Madison said.
Virginia came out of the break and scored 1:41 into the second half, when Selenski recorded her second goal, unassisted, after a Buckley shot on a penalty corner. Like the first goal, Selenski got the rebound after the initial shot and put it past Cornell’s Alex Bottle.
The Cavaliers continued to pressure the circle and scored again in the 44th minute to make it a 3-1 contest. This time, Selenski beat her defenders and fed Carpenter, who was sitting on the far post.
Buckley (Perth, Australia) then tallied her first goal of the game on a Cavalier penalty corner. Carpenter injected to classmate Taylor Swezey (Ambler, Pa.), who set it up for Buckley. Virginia took a 4-1 lead.
Virginia’s fifth goal came less than two minutes later. On another penalty corner, Tara Puffenberger’s (Dallas, Pa.) shot was saved by Bottle, but Buckley was there to collect the ball and hit the back of the cage.
Cornell added its second score in the 67th minute, another unassisted goal from De Sito on a 2-v-1 opportunity.
UVa goalkeepers Adrienne Ostroff (Blue Bell, Pa) and Kim Kastuk (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) each played a half and finished with two saves apiece.
Virginia (1-0 ACC), off to a 9-0 start for the second consecutive year, plays host to No. 2 Maryland at 5 p.m. Friday at the University Hall Turf Field. The Terrapins (8-0, 2-0 ACC) and Cavaliers are two of four unbeaten teams in the country.