ITHACA, N.Y. – In its first three games of the season, Cornell had gone down early and was unable to come back for the win. But this is a different Big Red team from the one that started the season.

 

Down 1-0 at halftime, Cornell jumped on visiting Harvard in the second half with two goals in the first six minutes and eventually went on to win 3-1.  The Big Red (6-1-3, 2-0 Ivy League) is now on a nine-game unbeaten run, defeated Harvard (2-7-1, 0-2 Ivy) for the first time since 2005 and has started Ivy League play with two wins for the first time since that same year.

 

Sophomore striker Daniel Haber, who led the team in goals and assists coming into the game, added one more to each of those categories with a goal in the 48th minute and an assist not three minutes later in the 51st.

 

Both Cornell goals came off long breakaway passes. On Haber’s goal to break the ice, senior captain Jimmy Lannon found him streaking down the left side of the field. Haber was all alone, and he beat Harvard keeper Austin Harms low and to the right.

 

Shortly after, Haber found teammate Chase Aaronson with a long volley down the right side. Harms came out to play the ball on the dangerous, speedy Aaronson, but the senior was too quick and chipped the ball over Harms’ outstretched arms 30 yards from the box. It was just a matter of momentum after that, as the ball bounced and rolled into the open net.

 

From there, Cornell, which came into the afternoon ranked as the No. 6 team in the NSCAA Northeast Regional poll, had all the momentum and played stout defense for the rest of the match. As Harvard started to cheat up to force the equalizer, Cornell struck for a third time.

 

Forward Tyler Regan came into the game and made an impact up front, sprinting through the middle of the field and beating a few defenders. Freshman Conor Goepel was coming with him, and as Kearns came out to challenge Regan, he passed it off to Goepel. Goepel finished for the third time this year, and Cornell had the game all but sealed.

 

The Big Red’s nine-game unbeaten streak is the longest since the 1995 season. Coach Jaro Zawislan now has a winning record (16-15-13) for the first time since Sept. 27, 2009. The team’s 18 total goals are five more than it scored all of last year.

 

The game was much more in question in the second half. Harvard was playing strong defense and good offense, and the Crimson made the best of it with a goal in the 33rd minute. While putting pressure on the Big Red back line, Harvard earned a free kick from the left corner of the penalty box. Ross Friedman took the kick and curled it perfectly into the six-yard box, where A.J. Agha was waiting to finish the strike.

 

But after that, Harvard’s chances were limited. Goalkeeper Rick Pflasterer, who came into the afternoon with the lowest goals against average in the Ivy League, saved the only two shots he faced the rest of the day. The offense did the rest.

 

The Big Red is back on Berman Field again on Tuesday night when Colgate comes to town. The game will kick off at 7 p.m.