ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell women's lacrosse team used big efforts in the middle periods to force a running clock before capturing a 16-8 win over Colgate on Tuesday evening in the team's home opener at Schoellkopf Field. The Big Red improved to 2-0 on the season, while the Raiders slipped to 0-2.

Nine different Big Red players scored goals and a 9-1 run spanning the first and second quarters put the home team ahead, with a 5-0 surge over the final 8:16 of the third quarter putting the game away. Cornell held a 36-19 shot advantage, a 16-11 edge in the draw circle and won the battle on the ground 19-16. Ellie Horner recorded seven saves over the first three quarters to pick up the win in goal for the Big Red, with Mackenzie Clark stopping two shots in the fourth quarter in her first collegiate appearance.

Amanda Cramer led the Big Red offense with three goals and an assist, with five other players recording two goals apiece. Fellow captain Bridget Babcock had two goals, three ground balls and two caused turnovers, while both Annie Thomas and Alexa Donahoe won five draw controls apiece.

For Colgate, Kait Henning had two goals and Kyra Lucey notched a goal and an assist. Molly Krsestinski won five draws and three ground balls and caused a turnover for the Raiders.

The visitors scored the first and third goals of the night to take a short-lived lead midway through the first. Cornell scored three times in succession in the final five minutes, with Cramer, Caitlin Slaminko and Katie Castiello each finding the back of the net in the span of just 2:34 to take the lead for good. When Shannon Brazier scored 63 seconds into the second quarter, the Big Red had turned the deficit into a three-goal lead.
 
After Cornell ran up five consecutive goals to push the advantage to 10-3, the Raiders scored three of the next four to pull within 11-6 early in the second. Alexa Donahoe got the Big Red back with her first score of the season to trigger a 5-0 run, winding the clock with a 10-goal lead with under a minute to play in the third until four minutes remained for the Raiders, who scored twice in the final four minutes to close the contest.

The 2-0 start is the team's third straight season with wins in its first two games, and now a West Coast road swing on the horizon.
 

Next Up

• The Big Red will head to the West Coast for a pair of games, beginning with a matchup against Cal on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. PT.
• Cornell has won each of the previous four meetings, outscoring the Bears 63-14, including the last meeting 12-4 on March 23, 2016 in Ithaca.