If one thing could be taken away from this weekend’s game, it is that when the going gets tough, the field hockey team perseveres. On an overcast and chilly Saturday afternoon, the Red demonstrated once again that it thrives under pressure. Cornell (7-0, 2-0 Ivy) outlasted Columbia (3-3, 0-1 Ivy), 2-1, in double overtime for its third extra-session victory in four competitions.

Sophomore attack Olivia Boyd preserved the Red’s undefeated streak and recorded her second career goal by tipping junior midfield Kate Thompson’s shot into the back of the cage after more than 100 minutes of play.

“Columbia had the ball in the very beginning, but we got over the hump early in the first half and maintained possession for quite some time,” Boyd said. “We came out strong, but there were definite changes in momentum throughout the game.”

The Red’s first goal of the day came off of a Catie De Stio breakaway in the middle of the second half. De Stio stripped the Lions of the ball and beat the last blue-clad defender one-on-one before putting it past goalie Christie O’Hara, who notched 12 saves in the contest. Columbia answered with tenacity, keeping senior goaltender Mel Jue busy between the pipes. In response to the Lion’s aggressive offense, the Red built up a solid defense for which Jue registered nine saves on 13 shots. But the Red experienced difficulty clearing the ball out and with approximately six minutes remaining, Columbia’s Katie DeSandis capitalized on a penalty stroke opportunity to tie the game, 1-1. After 70 minutes of regulation, both squads prepared for sudden death. When the going gets tough...: Sophomore attack Olivia Boyd’s goal with time expiring lifted the Red to a 2-1 double overtime victory over Columbia.

At the starting whistle of overtime, De Stio set the tone by single-handedly carrying the ball up the field and sending a shot just wide. From that moment on, the Red took complete control over the Lions. The still-even score of 1-1 at the conclusion of the fifteen-minute overtime period belied the fact that Cornell was dominating. In spite of a yellow card in the 88th minute that forced the Red to play a man down, Cornell continued to overwhelm Columbia by firing off 14 shots, while giving its opponent just one look at the cage. The Red took 21 total penalty corners, 11 of which occurred after regulation.

Cornell drew a corner just before time elapsed in the second period of overtime and the penalty allowed the game to continue after the sound of the buzzer. The clock read 00:00, but a string of four consecutive corners helped keep the play alive until the Red finally ended the game, 2-1. Boyd came in off the bench to score the game-winner, preventing the outcome of the contest from being determined by strokes.

“Overtime highlights our strengths as a team,” Boyd said. “We consistently perform well in these situations because we focus on finishing and ball movement. We look to pass and find the open teammate, letting the ball do the work.”

“It was a very intense afternoon, but we are well prepared for these types of situations and games,” De Stio said. “We knew that the first and second overtime periods would take a lot out of us, so we just had to stay focused, and executed.”

“You have to give Columbia credit — it was the most pressure a team has put on us all fall,” Jue said. “Fortunately, we carried the ball well throughout the game, and it didn’t faze us when they did score. I think our team dynamic really separates us from other teams.”

The Red’s combination of endurance and determination was key in the Red’s longest and hardest-fought win of the season.

“Some teams get nervous and don’t react well to the adrenaline rush, but we keep playing our game, which emphasizes skill and our ability to outrun opponents,” Boyd said. “A lot of our drills incorporate elements that help us maintain a high level of fitness and we try to play with intensity realistic of game situations in practice. Our composure, fitness game and overtime approach has worked in our favor.”

The defensive unit was a huge component of Saturday’s win, in which Jue logged 10 saves, her personal best of the season.

“We try to avoid corners and be aware of where the forwards are,” Jue said. “Obviously, our goal is to keep the ball out of the net, but distributing the ball is also an important role of the defense, as plays often start to develop on the defensive end of the field. The backs position themselves in a way that allows me to see the ball at all times. They make it really easy for me to do my job.”

Even when fatigue began to set in, Cornell’s depth and team-oriented style of play allowed the Red to stick it out against a spirited Columbia squad. Boyd came in on relief and had an immediate impact on the game.

“When I get into the game off of the bench, my goal is to play with intensity and provide a boost to everyone on the field,” Boyd said. “It is nice to know that my hard work in practice and in games contributed to Saturday’s outcome. Older players, like Kirnan and De Stio, have been extremely supportive all season and give great advice to the underclassmen. It was truly a team effort in which all of our energy and emotion came into play, resulting in the win.”