This week in 1950, the Big Red soccer team won its first game of the season against Syracuse, defeating them 2-1. For the majority of the game, Princeton held the lead with one goal, but at the end of the second quarter Captain Derl Derr scored the first of two goals for the Big Red. At this point in the season Derr was responsible for five of the last six goals scored by Cornell. He was quite the accomplished player, as we went on to set the Cornell soccer record for most goals scored in both a single season and throughout his entire career. The Cornell center was a three-time All-American player and was chosen MVP for the 1950 season. His performance was noted as superb by coaches on both sides. In this game, Derr was actually responsible for three goals, but the referees deemed his first goal a “dangerous kick,” meaning he kicked the ball with his leg raised above his shoulder, which made it dangerous for the defender to properly defend. Undeterred, Derr officially tied the score with a penalty kick, which then sent the game into overtime.
Once in overtime, Derr really showcased his talent. He singlehandedly dribbled past three Princeton defenders and easily scored on the shocked Tiger goalie. At once claiming the lead, the Big Red defense locked down the Princeton offense, preventing it from scoring for the remainder of overtime. This game marked the midpoint of a fairly uneventful season, in which prior to this the Booters claimed only one other victory against the University of Pennsylvania. The season serves as a showcase to the talents of Captain Derr; even if they did not lead to a title, his performance cannot be understated.