Box Score ITHACA, N.Y. – Leading 2-0 at the intermission, the Fordham men's soccer team saw Cornell score four goals in the second half of a 4-2 win in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament at Berman Field.
 
Fordham finishes the season with a record of 8-6-5.  With the win, Cornell (13-3-2) advances to take on No. 2 Pittsburgh in the second round on Sunday.
 
Louis Lehr and Daniel D'Ippolito scored for the Rams in their first NCAA Tournament game since 2020-21.  Lehr's goal was his second of the season while D'Ippolito ends his junior campaign with 14 goals, the highest single-season total by a Ram since 1998 (John Wolyniec, 25).  His 14 goals are tied for the ninth highest total in program history.
 
Luke Pompliano assisted on both of Fordham's goals.  Jack Sias also tallied an assist in the Rams' ninth NCAA Tournament match all-time.
 
After withstanding a flurry of Cornell chances in the opening minutes, Fordham missed an opportunity to grab the early lead. Cornell was called for a foul in the box in the seventh minute to give the Rams a penalty kick, but Lukas Hackaa's right-footed strike was stopped by Big Red keeper Ryan Friedberg.
 
The Rams jumped ahead in the 28^th minute thanks to some beautiful ball movement.  The play began when Sias intercepted a Cornell pass and immediately touched it down the right side for Pompliano.  The graduate student ran unimpeded for 30 yards before sending a cross into the box for Lehr, who headed it down into the net to put Fordham ahead 1-0.
 
Just 3:33 later, the Rams doubled their lead on a similar sequence.  Jed Dixon played a long ball down the right side for Pompliano, who again sent it into the box.  The ball found the foot of D'Ippolito, who took a few touches before blasting it into the bottom right corner of the cage.
 
Down 2-0, Cornell came out of the intermission on the front foot.  The Big Red needed just 15 minutes to tie it up, as Alex Harris scored his 18^th and 19^th goals of the year, the second on a penalty kick, to make it 2-2.
 
Cornell moved ahead in the 74^th minute, as Alioune Ka converted from close range.  The Big Red scored its final goal in the 86^th on Ka's second marker of the half.