Air Force Academy
Cornell
Falcon Lacrosse Falls at No. 14 Cornell
3/27/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Ithaca, N.Y. -- On a cold and rainy evening off the southern shore of Cayuga Lake, Air Force fell to 14th-ranked Cornell (5-3, 1-1 IVY), 23-5, in what became the largest margin of loss for the Falcons since 1990. The Falcons drop to 3-7 as they return to the conference slate against Bellarmine on Saturday.
Air Force's first half was gloomier than the weather in Ithaca as the Big Red outscored the Falcons 11-2 in the first half. The Falcons first shot of the game came at the 2:20 mark in the first period as the Falcons struggled to settle-in for an offensive possession. Freshman Christian Kuhn ended Cornell's scoring run at seven as Trey Lervick, who leads the team in assists, fed Kuhn for a 15-yard ripper from the wing. The goal was Kuhn's first collegiate goal and Lervick's sixth assist.
Cornell added four more goals before Matthew Schwartz bullied his way into a scoring position, launching an over-the-shoulder rocket after beating his defender in the one-on-one ride. The Falcons retired to the locker room at half trailing by nine goals.
Cornell kept the pedal on the medal in the second half, punching in four goals in the first two minutes of the half, extending their lead to 13 goals with 13-minutes left in the third period.
Harper responded with a win at the face off X which he sprinted down to assist Schwartz with his second goal of the game, narrowing Cornell's lead, 15-3. The goal marked Schwartz's eighth this season. Air Force found another opportunity at the 10:59 mark as Nick Hruby fed Cameron Carter from behind the cage which Carter redirected to the right corner of the top shelf. Cornell netted four unanswered goals by the end of the third period to lead the Falcons, 19-4, going into the fourth period.
Cornell continued to put the pressure on Air Force, outscoring the Falcons, 4-1, in the final period of play. Hruby added his name to the goal sheet with an unassisted attack on Cornell's cage at the 9:20 mark. The goal marked Hruby's 20th of the season. Cornell finished with three unanswered goals to seal the deal, 23-5.
Air Force will remain on the road as the squad travels to Louisville, Kentucky, to take on Bellarmine in SoCon action, Saturday, at 12 p.m. (CT). Air Force leads Bellarmine, 10-3, in the all-time series.
