Women’s soccer entered Ivy League play on Sunday looking to carry momentum from a strong nonconference stretch. An early goal seemed to put the Red on track for the perfect start, but two late corner-kick strikes from Columbia flipped the script and handed Cornell a narrow loss in a game they had largely controlled for more than 50 minutes.
Cornell struck first in the 12th minute when senior defender Gaby Gonzalez headed home a corner from senior midfielder Mariana Kessinger. The Red nearly doubled the advantage minutes later, but the rebound finish from junior midfielder Brooke Brown was called back for offside.
“Our first half was really great,” said senior midfielder and forward Tanum Nelson. “When we have momentum, we need to capitalize and put more goals away. Moments like that can change the game, and that’s definitely something we need to focus on.”
The Lions equalized in the 69th minute when Maia Beltran headed in a near-post corner from Maia Tabion. With less than a minute remaining, Columbia struck again — Tabion’s delivery to the far post found Dema Elder, who headed home the game-winner at 89:30.
“Both the goals came off corners, so we’re definitely going to be working on our strength defensively,” Nelson said.
Nelson did not play in the match due to a hamstring injury, but the senior captain said she expects to be back for Cornell’s next contest.
“It’s kind of crazy how it all flies by,” Nelson said.“You learn so much each year. Being on the sidelines, you realize how important every single person is to the team. I just try to be the best role model I can and keep people motivated,”
Cornell will aim to bounce back on Saturday, Sept. 27, when the Red will travel to New Haven, Connecticut, to face Yale. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
