GAME 8: UConn (4-2, 0-0 Big East) at Cornell (5-2, 2-0 Ivy)

Date & Time: Saturday, March 18 - 1:00 p.m.
Venue: Schoellkopf Field - Ithaca, N.Y.
Twitter: @CornellWLax
Cornell Game Notes
 

STORY LINES

• The Cornell women's lacrosse team will attempt to bounce back from a midweek loss when it welcomes UConn to Schoellkopf Field on Saturday, March 18 at 1 p.m. 
• The contest will be broadcast on the ESPN+.
• Cornell will try and shake off Wednesday's 13-12 home loss to Binghamton, the Bearcats' first-ever win over the Big Red.
• The loss snapped a two-game win streak after Cornell began conference play with an impressive 2-0 start.
• The Big Red's explosive offense is averaging 13.6 goals per game with five players averaging at least two points per contest.
• Cornell has scored at least 11 goals in each of its seven contests this season.
• The defense, meanwhile, has held opponents to single-digit goals in four of its past six contests.
• In its five wins, Cornell has surrendered just 8.8 goals per game, a number that rises to 15.0 goals in its two losses.
• Picked fourth in the Ivy League's preseason media poll, Cornell returns eight starters and 18 letter winners from last season's 8-8 squad. 
• Cornell went 4-3 in Ivy play last spring, making its ninth appearance in 11 all-time (including eight of the past nine) Ivy League Tournaments as the No. 3 seed. 
• Four senior All-Ivy selections return in 2023, with Katie Castiello and Amanda Cramer on attack, Annie Thomas in the midfield and Hilary Hoover on defense.
 

SERIES HISTORY VS. UCONN

Overall: UConn leads 1-0, first meeting in 2023
In Ithaca, N.Y.: First Meeting
Current Streak: UConn, 1
Last Meeting: UConn, 20-14 (3/13/2022 in Storrs, Conn.)
Graap vs. UConn: 0-1 (0-0 at home)
Series Notes: This will be the second meeting between the Big Red and the Huskies • the Big Red is 5-5 all-time against current members of the Big East • Cornell is 5-1 against Villanova, 0-2 vs. Georgetown and 0-1 against Denver • the Big Red has never played Butler or Marquette
 

A WIN OVER UCONN WOULD

• improve Cornell's record to 6-2 on the season.
• even the all-time record between the teams at 1-1.
• push the Big Red's record against Big East teams to 6-5 all-time.
• make Cornell 2-1 at home in 2023.
• be the 368th in program history (367-312-4 in 51 seasons, .540).
 

LAST TIME OUT

• Binghamton women's lacrosse scored six third quarter goals and rallied from a halftime deficit to claim a 13-12 victory over Cornell at Schoellkopf Field. 
• Abigail Carroll scored five goals and assisted on a sixth and both Marisa Tancredi and Hayley Weltner registered hat tricks as the visitors earned the program's first-ever victory over Cornell after nine previous meetings ended in losses. 
• Carroll added six draw control wins. Binghamton held narrow edges in draw controls (15-14), shots (30-28) and ground balls (13-11). In goal, Emily Manning made four saves and picked up the win despite surrendering 12 Big Red goals.
• Katie Castiello scored four goals to lead the Big Red, with Amanda Cramer posting two goals and an assist in the loss. 
• Annie Thomas won eight draws for the Big Red, moving up to second place on the school's career draw control list with 148. 
• In goal, Ellie Horner made four saves before giving way to Mackenzie Clark, who stopped two shots..
 

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

• The Big Red has scored at least 10 goals in all seven contests this season and has allowed single-digit goals four times.
• Cornell has had two players named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week this season  — goalkeeper Ellie Horner (Feb. 27) and midfielder Shannon Brazier (March 6). 
• Senior Annie Thomas' cousin, Caroline Ramsey, is an All-Ivy field hockey player for the Big Red and a member of the U.S. national team.
• In 29 career games, Thomas has 148 draw controls — a mark that already ranks second in school history.
• Thomas had 73 draw controls in 16 games in 2022 to set the single-season school record, surpassing Sarah Hefner's 2014 record of 68.
• Senior captain Amanda Cramer, an honorable mention All-Ivy selection and the team's leading scorer in 2022, is a transfer from Northwestern who mother, Caroline, was a gymnast for the Big Red.
• Sophomore defender Alessia Packard has a sister (Antonia, field hockey) and brother (Charles, men's lacrosse) who are also current varsity athletes for the Big Red.
• Cornell's 218 draw control wins in 2022 were second all-time in a season, just shy of the 222 recorded in 2017. 
• The team's 13.3 goals per game in 2022 ranked second all-time at Cornell (14.2 in 2012).
• The Big Red has qualified for the Ivy League Tournament nine times in the 11 years it has been held.
• Seniors Bridget Babcock, Amanda Cramer and Hilary Hoover will serve as team tri-captains.
• Head coach Jenny Graap has 225 career wins for the Big Red, ranking her 13th all-time among Cornell head coaches in all sports and second among women coaches (behind Andrea Dutcher with 346 volleyball wins from 1974-87).
• In her 26th season, Graap is the longest tenured women's head coach in school history and currently among women's lacrosse coaches in the Ivy League.
• The Big Red is 177-18 all-time under Graap when leading at halftime (.908).
 

NEXT UP

• The Big Red returns to Ivy League play when it welcomes No. 14 Princeton to Schoellkopf Field on Saturday, March 25 at 1 p.m.
• Cornell will be looking to snap a seven-game skid against the Tigers and claim its first win since a 10-9 overtime triumph on May 6, 2016 at Penn's Franklin Field.