Cornell University Athletics

ITHACA, N.Y. -- The men's and women's polo teams opened the 2009 WIlliam S. Field Invitational Tournament with wins over Skidmore on Wednesday at Oxley Equestrian Center. The women remained unbeaten with a 23-6 victory, while the men moved to 6-1 with a 29-6 triumph over the Thoroughbreds.

The Cornell women opened the Field Tournament on Wednesday with a victory over Skidmore. Lizzie Wisner, Jess Cross and Erin Bold started and staked the Big Red to a 10-0 lead after one chukker. The three starters were replaced by Ali Hoffman, Claire Glashan and Kate Harkness in the second. That trio added to the lead, making it 16-2 at halftime. Three more reserves, Britney Cox, Kayleigh Sullivan, and Alice Rowland, started the second half. The third ended with Cornell up 17-5, then extended the final margin to 23-6. Though she only played the one chukker, Wisner led all scorers with seven goals. Hoffman and Sullivan had three, Harkness, Cross, Cox and Rowland all had two, while Bold and Glashan tallied one.

The men's team also met Skidmore in the night session. Max Constant, Branden Van Loon and Dan Grew opened the game up with a 10-1 first chukker lead. After that, Connor Pardell, Justin Schick and David Dunstan made appearances in the second. That trio opend the lead up to 16-3 at the half. Schick remained in the third to play with Steven True and Mateo Abbruzzese. Again, Cornell added to its lead, making it 21-5 after three. Pardell replaced Schick in the fourth and the Big Red finished off the Thoroughbreds by the 29-6 margin. Pardell led all scorers with 11 goals. Constant added five, Grew had four, Dunstan, Schick and True notched two apiece, while Abbruzese, Van Loon and the ponies each were credited with one goal.