The Fairfield University Women's Club Soccer Team took the field Sunday afternoon for the second game of their doubleheader, facing a strong Cornell University at Rafferty Stadium after an earlier match-up with Southern Connecticut State.
Cornell struck first in the opening half, breaking through the Fairfield defense with a crisp passing play to take a 1-0 lead. With the constant pressure that followed, Fairfield goalkeeper Bella Fuierer made several key stops to keep the deficit at one, including a few diving highlight real saves. Despite her efforts, the Stags ended up trailing 1-0 at halftime.
The second half saw Cornell continue their offensive pressure, but Fuierer continued to stand tall in net, making a string of huge saves to keep Fairfield in the game. Fairfield's back line which was anchored by players like Emma St. Clair (#24), Elli Mayock (#1), Allie MacDonald (#12), and Sarah Adams (#15), battled hard all game against Cornell's constant attacks. Eventually, Cornell broke through with two more goals, including a long-range strike, to secure a 3-0 victory.
After the match, junior Ava Koziol reflected on the team's effort: "Since we had two games in one day, we were intentional about managing our energy and keeping everyone fresh. Cornell was a great team who gave us tough competition, but we were really proud of how we played. Now we're working hard in practice this week to come back motivated for Friday's game against Quinnipiac."