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ITHACA, N.Y. - Tage Thompson (Oyster Bay, N.Y.) and Jeremy Bracco (Freeport, N.Y.) each notched one goal, but the U.S. National Under-18 Team was upended by Cornell University, 3-2, here tonight at James Lynah Rink tonight. With the loss, Team USA's record against NCAA Division I opponents drops to 1-3-1 (W-L-T).
The Big Red opened the scoring late in the first frame converting off a giveaway behind the U.S. net. The goal, scored at 17:29, put Team USA down 1-0 after 20 minutes of action.
Former National Team Development Program forward Jared Fiegl doubled the Cornell lead midway through the second stanza. Receiving a feed from the right corner, Fiegl wristed a shot over the glove of Michael Lackey (Washington, D.C.). Team USA struck back at 15:43 when Brendan Warren (Carleton, Mich.) streaked down the left-wing side and found Thompson to the right of the goal. Thompson snuck behind the Cornell defender and tapped the puck in on the back door. Charles McAvoy (Long Beach, N.Y.) also assisted on the play.
Bracco knotted the game, 2-2, less than a minute into the third period. Skating on an odd-man rush with Caleb Jones (Frisco, N.Y.), Bracco toe dragged and launched a shot past Cornell netminder Mitch Gillam. Matthew Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo.) collected the other helper. A rebound marker by the Big Red put the U.S. down by one once again late in the frame.
Lackey finished with 13 stops for Team USA in the setback, while Gillam turned aside 26 shots for the Big Red in the victory.
The U.S. National Under-18 Team makes the short trip to Oswego, New York, to take on NCAA Division III Oswego State University tomorrow (Oct. 25) at 7:00 p.m. ET. It will mark the first time Team USA faced a DIII school in 2014-15.
Team USA outshot Cornell, 28-21 … The U18s went 0-4 on the power play while the Big Red went 0-2 … The Under-18 Team and Cornell have played each other seven times previously, with the Big Red holding a 5-1-1 all-time edge in the series ... Since its inaugural season in 1997-98, the National Team Development Program has produced seven players who have gone on to skate at Cornell University, including four current members: F Cole Bardreau (Fairport, N.Y./2009-11), D Ryan Bliss (Chelmsford, Mass./2012-14), F Jared Fiegl (Parker, Colo./2012-14) and F Gavin Stoick (Portland, Ore./2010-12).