Late Second-Half Rally by Women’s Soccer Falls Short at Canisius
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Tiani Fonoti factored in both of Canisius’ goals as the Golden Griffins staved off a late second-half Cornell rally, coming away with a 2-1 victory on Friday evening at the Demske Sports Complex.
Fonoti assisted on Canisius’ first goal before netting the game-winning marker on a penalty kick.
Senior Ashley Durik scored Cornell’s goal with fellow senior Aidan Julia Reineman credited with the assist.
“Disappointing result. We felt we controlled the ball in the early stages but didn’t threaten them enough,” Cornell head coach Rob Ferguson said. “Canisius were very disciplined in how they set up and defended. The goals we conceded were disappointing on our part and we need to learn quickly from those moments. Intensity, fight, and tempo were much better as the second half progressed and that needs to be a 90-minute thing moving forward.”
Canisius’ Skyler Cornell opened the scoring in the 25th minute, recording her first collegiate goal by capitalizing on a rebound from a shot by Fonoti that ricocheted off the crossbar.
A foul by the Big Red inside the 18-yard box led to Canisius’ second goal, which Fonoti sent into the bottom right corner of the goal.
Sophomore Erica Fox took over goalkeeping duties to start the second half for Cornell, replacing senior Nicole Shulman. Fox and Shulman each recorded one save in the contest.
Cornell cut into the Canisius lead with Durik’s goal in the 76th minute. Reineman dribbled through multiple Canisius defenders before her pass split between a pair of Golden Griffin defenders leading to Durik’s sliding left-footed strike, netting the Big Red’s first goal of the year.
Durik’s goal was a part of a Cornell offensive surge in which the Big Red peppered Canisius goalkeeper, Jessica Jones, with five shots in a 10-minute span. The best scoring chance during the stretch came from junior Laken Gallman, when her header in the 80th minute nearly tied the game, but Jones was able to make the save.
Game Notes
• Friday was the seventh meeting between Cornell and Canisius, with Cornell now holding a 5-2 record all-time over the Golden Griffins. The contest was the Big Red’s first time playing on Canisius’ campus.
• Durik’s goal was the third of her collegiate career and her first since a two-goal game against Iona on Aug. 30, 2019. Reineman’s assist was her first career helper and the first time she recorded a point since scoring against Siena on Sept. 3, 2018.
• Junior defender Jackie Lasseter and freshmen Tanum Nelson, Gaby Gonzalez, and Mariana Kessinger made their collegiate debuts on Friday. Gallman also made her Cornell debut, recording a pair of shots on goal.
Looking Ahead
Cornell returns home for its home opener on Sunday against Marist. First touch from Berman Field is slated for 1 p.m., with game action being broadcast on ESPN+.
