SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The Cornell women's lacrosse team was firing on all cylinders on both ends of the field on Tuesday afternoon, outshooting Le Moyne 33-15 and scooping up 23 ground balls en route to a 17-4 victory over the Dolphins from Ted Grant Field. Cornell improved to 2-0 on the year, while Le Moyne dropped to 1-1. The Big Red's 17 goals are the most the team has scored since finding the back of the net 18 times in a victory over UAlbany to open its 2023 campaign.

The upperclassmen led the way for Cornell, as junior Josie Vogel scored a team-high four goals to secure her fourth career hat trick, and senior Sophie Ward grabbed her first career hat trick in a game that saw the Big Red record 28 shots on goal compared to just seven for the Dolphins. Senior Maggie Pons also had a career afternoon, finding the back of the net once and sharing the love with a career-high four assists handed out. Caitlin Slaminko held it down in the draw circle, securing a career-high five draw control wins alongside two goals scored. Ellie Horner also earned the win for the Big Red, securing three saves and recording two ground balls. 

Le Moyne had all four of its goals scored by different athletes, as Jane Austenfeld, Julia Blakeslee, Sarah Hunter, and Shea Rhonee Pal all earned points, and fifth-year goalie Paige Crandall secured a season-high 11 saves in the loss for the Dolphins.

Junior Kylie Gelabert got things started early for the Big Red offense, taking a feed from Maggie Pons and burying it in the top right corner to push Cornell up 1-0 a little over three minutes in. Cornell would extend its lead to 2-0 less than a minute later on a tally by Sophie Ward off another feed from Pons after being left alone near the front of the net. Le Moyne's offense would wake up, converting its first free position shot of the day after a foul by Caitlin Slaminko to make it 2-1. The back and forth continued back and forth over the opening 15 minutes, as both Josie Vogel and Rhonee Shea Pal scored on free position attempts to make it 3-2 after one.

Le Moyne got things started first in the second quarter with its third free position goal of the contest to tie things up a minute in. With the game at a standstill, it was unknown which team would grab the momentum back in the second-ever battle between the Central New York foes. But Cornell immediately jumped at the opportunity and kept its foot on the gas pedal, scoring four goals and outshooting the Dolphins 11-2 after the game-tying goal to head into halftime with a 7-3 cushion. All four were scored by different players, as Bridget Babcock, Slaminko, Pons, and Gelabert each added to their yearly goal total.

With the halftime break, the Dolphins needed a game plan to stop the Big Red's scorching offense. That plan came back to bite, as Cornell turned up the heat again with three more goals on three consecutive trips down into the offensive end from Slaminko, Dillyn Patten, and Ward to begin the second half and take a 10-3 advantage. Le Moyne would finally have something go its way after the 7-0 run by the Big Red, as Jane Lem Austenfeild found the back of the net to break a scoreless drought of almost 20 minutes on a man-up free position shot to cut the deficit down to six. Le Moyne's goal did nothing to phase the Big Red attack, as it racked up four more goals, including the first career goal for Ella Wilmot to take a 14-4 advantage heading into the final period.

With the game in hand, head coach Jenny Graap started to cycle in her bench to begin the fourth. But that did not stop the Big Red from continuing to run its offense and defense, as it found the net three more times and forced five more Le Moyne turnovers to head out of Syracuse with the victory and snap a two-game losing streak against opponents from New York State.

BIG RED NOTABLES

• Senior Maggie Pons now had 11 points through two games this season after having 39 total in 15 games last season. 
• Multiple first were picked up as Ella Wilmot earned her first career goal and two earned their first ground ball in a Big Red uniform (Caitlin Tully and Lucy Dwyer).
• Cornell's 28 shots on goal and 23 ground balls secured are the most the Big Red has recorded against a non-conference opponent since having 28 and 25 in a 14-9 win over Villanova in 2022.
• Cornell recorded its highest shots on goal percentage (.848) against a non-conference opponent since having an .897 in a 23-5 victory over Binghamton on March 27, 2019.
• Tuesday's victory over the Dolphins is the 250th career win and 229th at Cornell for head coach Jenny Graap.

UP NEXT
The Big Red will close out February with a road trip to Maryland as it battles the University of Virginia at the USA Lacrosse Complex on Sunday, Feb. 25. First draw is set for noon from Tierney Field.