MOUNT VERNON – Fifth-year Sam O'Brien made an impactful return to Cornell's starting lineup Saturday, helping the Rams to a 3-0 women's soccer win over Midwest Conference foe Ripon.
 
Working her way back from injury, O'Brien scored one goal and assisted on another as Cornell (2-8-1 overall, 1-0 MWC) celebrated a successful start to league play.
 
The Rams dominated Ripon (1-8-2, 0-3) in ball possession with 28 total shots, to the Red Hawks' five.
 
O'Brien set the tone with an unassisted goal in the 33rd minute. Cornell's 1-0 lead stood until the 79th minute, when O'Brien assisted Elise Hermiston for a score.
 
Freshman Wies Kleingeld netted her first collegiate goal in the 87th minute to put the finishing touch on the win.   
 
Sabrina Ibanez went the distance in goal for the team's first shutout of the season. She had two saves.
 
Hermiston led Cornell's attack with nine shots, four of them on goal. O'Brien added five attempts, Kylie Hard four.
  
Coming up – The Rams host NAIA's Waldorf in a nonconference match at 3 p.m. Sunday.