Sophomore Sabrina Ibanez had a show-stopping performance for the Rams collecting 15 saves in the Rams’ 2-1 loss to Mount Mercy on Saturday.
Ibanez set a career-high 15 saves after facing 33 shots from the Mustangs in 90 minutes played. She held them scoreless through the first half as she saved 88% of the shots coming her way.
This is the second game in Ibanez’s career that she has had 10 or more saves in a game. The other game where she had 10 or more was when she had 11 saves against Clarke last year on the 9th of September.
After going down by one score, Savannah Sonenstahl secured her first goal of the season in the 52nd minute to tie the game for the Rams. A goal at the 74th minute by Mustangs’ Brielle Bastian assisted by Philine Giese gave them the lead which they never forfeited.
Earlier in the week, Cornell drew NAIA Clarke University to a tie.
After a scoreless first half, the Rams struck gold a little after the 48-minute mark with an unassisted goal by junior Kylie Hard. She weaved through traffic and threaded the needle inside the penalty area to put the Rams up.
The Rams held back a Pride rally for most of the second half, turning down five shots. It wasn’t until a goal with less than two minutes left by Sophie Spicuzza that spelled the end of the Rams’ shutout win.
Hard and senior Amelia Brown each finished the game with two shots each; junior Emma Rowe, senior Kara Rivard, and sophomore Krystin Kamrath each finished with one shot attempt in the game.
Ibanez played all 90 minutes as the goalkeeper for the Rams. She faced 11 shots, with six on goal, and secured six saves. The Rams as a team finished with nine shots with four being on goal.