ITHACA, N.Y. - Columbia held a 10-2 advantage in corner kicks, but Molly Easterlin's goal in the 55th minute proved to be the only scoring of the match as Cornell defeated the Lions 1-0 in the Ivy League opener for both teams.

Sophomore keeper Allison Vespa (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) made three saves in the first half, keeping Cornell off the board. The match remained scoreless through the first half although the Lions had five corner opportunities during the stanza.

Currently undefeated and ranked 12th in the northeast by SoccerBuzz magazine, Cornell (6-0, 1-0 Ivy) broke through 10 minutes into the second half when Easterlin fired a shot into the upper right-hand corner from 25 yards away.

The Lions (4-3-1, 0-1 Ivy) kept up the offensive pressure after Easterlin's goal, totaling five corner kicks and four shots in the second half. However, the Cornell defense held strong and halted any Columbia scoring opportunities, holding on to capture a slim 1-0 victory.

Vespa finished with five saves as Cornell outshot Columbia 14-7.

Columbia will return to action on Sunday, September 25 against Colgate. The match is slated to start at 1 p.m.