By Akin Taylor | September 12, 2022
Photo Credit: Brent Warzocha (UAlbany Athletics)
On Wednesday night, the Great Danes women's soccer team hosted Cornell's soccer team, seeking their second victory of the season.
Throughout the first four games, the Danes have been scoreless, but they broke that spell in the first half. UAlbany took a 1-0 lead when Olivia Piraino fired a shot past Cornell goalkeeper Nicole Shulman after the ball rebounded from a close-range shot by Selma Elverum.
While Cornell was behind in the game, they only allowed UAlbany two shots in the first half while taking five of their own. The first 45 minutes of the game were evenly contested, and UAlbany went into the second half with a 1-0 lead.
Both teams were aggressive defensively, racking up a high amount of fouls in each half individually; the Danes with 10 in the first half and seven in the second, while Cornell had five in the first and 10 in the second half. Cornell outshot UAlbany 12-9, including 5-2 in the first half.
It wasn’t until well into the second half that the Big Red finally broke through. After Ashley Durik's setup, Aidan Julia Reineman converted to tie the game up in the 69th minute. Each team took seven shots after halftime, tying the Great Danes at seven each.
Towards the end of the half, UAlbany continued to press their advantage, creating several promising opportunities in Cornell territory. A 1-1 draw ended the game, however, thanks to the Big Red defense. UAlbany drew seven corner kicks to Cornell's two and 55% of possession for the game.
Next up for the Great Danes is Wagner, as they host the (2-5) Seahawks on Sunday.