Cornell University’s women’s lacrosse team defeated Dartmouth College 11-6 in an Ivy League game at Schoellkopf Field, according to a March 28 announcement. The win extends Cornell’s current streak and brings their overall record to 7-3, with a conference mark of 2-1.
The victory was marked by strong defensive play and balanced scoring, as Cornell controlled the pace from the opening draw. Head coach Jenny Graap said, “I mean, it was really a team effort the whole way. Just pleased that we came out and competed… our defense was really the answer there.”
Despite Dartmouth holding a significant advantage in draw controls (14-5), Cornell repeatedly regained possession through its man-to-man defense. Graap said, “Even though we lost possession, the defense got it back for us time and time again. I thought that set a tone for us to be competitive the whole way.” Six different players scored for Cornell, led by Lexie Tully and Ellie Bergin with three goals each; Ella Wilmot contributed two goals and two assists.
A key moment came in the third quarter when Cornell scored six goals after identifying this period as an area needing improvement earlier in the season. “I’m really proud of that,” Graap said. “The third quarter has been a bit of an Achilles heel for us, so to score six goals there was a big improvement.” By the end of this surge, Cornell had built a commanding lead.
Cornell also outperformed Dartmouth in shots (26-18), shots on goal (19-13), and ground balls (17-8). The Big Red’s defensive strategy focused on limiting Dartmouth’s top scorers and slowing transition plays. “I thought we slowed them down, even when they won the draw,” Graap said. “Our ride was strong, and we just took valuable time off the shot clock… just making it more difficult for Dartmouth to score.” She credited senior leadership on her team: “That senior class really wanted this win today. They were looking for a four-quarter effort.”
Dartmouth made some progress late with three fourth-quarter goals but could not close the gap before time expired.
Looking ahead, Cornell will face Syracuse at home Tuesday night at Schoellkopf Field at 7 p.m., continuing their conference schedule as momentum builds midseason. Graap concluded: “It’s going to be an emotional battle every year for us… Just important for us to be ready — physically ready, mentally ready — for the challenge.”
