Paula Voorheis
Sophomore goaltender Paula Voorheis had an outstanding performance on Friday with 41 saves to propel the women’s hockey team over Yale, 2-0.
Voorheis proved to be the key factor in the Big Red’s victory, as she earned her first shutout of the season and was named the ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week.
She stood tall when the team got into penalty trouble early due to three minors over a six-minute span near the end of the first period. Voorheis stopped all 16 Bulldog shots in the initial 20 minutes, which included making two beautiful saves at the end of the period. She denied a two-on-zero opportunity and then made a frantic save on a wrap-around chance to maintain the draw.
Following a goal from sophomore Caroline DeBruin, Voorheis defended the lead in the final period of action. She rejected opportunities from all three forwards on the Bulldog’s first line, making spectacular saves on Jackie Raines, Krista Yip-Chuck, and Phoebe Staenz.
Voorheis began the season slightly shaky, especially after conceding seven goals against Minnesota-Duluth in late November. However, since the start of play in December, she has heated up in net, lowering her goals against average by more than one goal to a 2.82. Voorheis has also stopped 107 of the previous 110 shots that she has faced.
The sophomore netminder will look to continue her stellar play, as Cornell travels to New England for another weekend of ECAC action. The squad will face Dartmouth at 7 p.m. on Friday and take on Harvard at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Women’s Basketball Defense
The Big Red held Columbia in check to earn a 59-39 victory on Saturday, marking the first time in three years that the Cornell defense limited an opponent to less than 40 points.
Columbia’s 39 points were the smallest point production by an Ivy League opponent in seven years when the Big Red defeated Brown 70-37 in February of 2008. This game also indicated the lowest scoring output by a Lions’ offense since the team put up 39 points in a loss against Cornell in January of 1998. The Big Red has held opposing teams to less than 40 points on 46 different times throughout program history.
The team defense held the Lions to only 26% shooting from the field and 15.4% from three-point land. The Big Red not only forced 23 turnovers, but also acquired 16 steals, which resulted in 24 points for Cornell.
With the win, the squad improves to 10-5 on the year, matching its best start since the 1999-2000 season. Cornell will look to build on its momentum when the team takes on Columbia at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday in the Big Apple.
Men’s Track and Field
Men’s track and field secured first place to take home the beanpot trophy with 185 points in the Beantown Challenge, which featured five other teams.
The Big Red won nine of 17 events, had 18 IC4A qualifiers, and set one new program record.
Sophomore Grant Sisserson flew to 17 feet and 3 inches for a new school record in the pole vault. The IC4A qualifiers included Brailin Paulino, Ryan Hynes, Tobi Attah, Cisco Olloqui, Sebastian Roemer, Sam Belcher, James Gowans, David Melly, Dom DeLuca, David Taylor, Stephen Mozia, Bryan Rhodes, Myles Lazarou, John Enkler, Sisserson, and Keith Rayburn.
Cornell will return to action when the team hosts the Upstate Challenge on Friday and Saturday at Barton Hall. The meet will feature Albany, Army, Binghamton, Buffalo, Cortland, Ithaca College, and Syracuse.
Comments