ITHACA, N.Y. – Despite scoring a goal in the opening minute of play, Villanova played to a 1-1 draw against Cornell on Sunday afternoon at Berman Field.
The draw snaps a three-game losing skid for Villanova (3-4-1) and ends a span of nearly 296 minutes of play without a goal. The 'Cats kept Cornell (1-2-4) scoreless until the 73
rd minute before the Big Red equalized.
Villanova was outshot 12-6, 6-2 for shots on goal.
Alex Little and
Gabby Koluch led the team two shot attempts each, Koluch landing one on frame.
"Cornell is a fantastic team," head coach
Samar Azem said. "They press really well, but the way that we played today is who we want to be and the way that the players competed, I'm just so, so proud. I don't think that's a typical thing for teams to do is to just keep rising and be as resilient as they are."
The 'Cats needed next to no time to get on the board, being awarded a penalty kick in the first minute of action after Cornell's keeper collided with
Susanna Soderman in the penalty box. The senior lined up for the chance and sent the ball into the back right of the net for a 1-0 lead.
It was the first penalty attempt and make of Soderman's career and the first made PK by a Wildcat since
Emma Weaver netted one against DePaul on Oct. 23, 2022.
"I think we she scored that early that gave life to the team,"
Myla McLeod said. "I think we were waiting to score for a really long time and I think she brought that energy to the field and it lifted everybody up. I think we created a lot of chances today and that was a big moment that we had."
Villanova trailed in shots through the first 45 minutes 7-2 with goalkeeper
Hannah Dickinson corralling all three of Cornell's shots that landed on frame.
Momentum stayed with the Blue and White early in the second with
Lauren Belcuore sending an attempt that was blocked in the 54
th to keep it a one-goal game. The group had two corner kicks in the first 13 minutes of the half but nothing came of them.
Cornell's answer came in the 73
rd minute on a goal from Laken Gallman. Reinna Gabriel played a ball in from outside the lower right side of the 18-yard box that found Gallman six yards out from the front of the net to boot in a short redirect past Dickinson to make it 1-1.
The Big Red had a dangerous chance to take the lead in the 85
th minute on another attempt from Gallman once again at the six-yard box, but Dickinson grabbed it for her fifth save of the day.
Cornell's Tanum Nelson led all players with three shot attempts on the day. In net, Natalie Medugno was called upon for one save.
Villanova opens BIG EAST action on Sunday, September 22 as it heads to Seton Hall.
