At Colgate on Tuesday, the No. 6 women’s lacrosse team set out to accomplish a few goals. The Red wanted to get control early and set the tempo. The team wanted to get out quickly, play fast and run up an early lead. It hoped to do all of this and get plenty of different players on the field, to gain some experience.
It didn’t want to back down, not an inch.
“I was happy with our performance at Colgate,” said head coach Jenny Graap ’86.
The ladies didn’t let anyone down. Exercising almost total control over the game, Cornell played its way to an 8-0 lead early in the game. The defense kept the Raiders from making a single shot on goal until the last minute of the half. Colgate managed to get a point on the board before the half, but the Red held a solid 8-1 lead.
In the first 20 minutes after the half, Cornell continued its offensive dominance, outscoring the Raiders 5-1. Colgate got a pair of goals, through, in the last nine minutes to bring the game to its final score of 13-4.
Sophomore goalie Ashley Charron made the most of her first significant playing time in weeks. Between the bars for the last 40 minutes of the game, she stopped six shots, including five in the second half. She allowed only four goals total.
Junior Erica Holveck continued her solid play and led an excellent defensive effort with four checks and two ground balls. Senior Sarah Graham backed her up with two checks, a block and three ground balls.
Senior captain Lori Wohlschlegel kept up her furious pace since returning from a torn ACL, leading the team’s offense with three goals and an assist. Wohlschlegel was followed closely by junior Sarah Averson, who earned a goal and two assists. Senior Jaimee Reynolds and freshman Lindsay Steinberg both tallied a pair of scores.
The team made sure to spread the ball around on offense. 11 players scored at least one point, and goals came from nine different players. For the last 40 minutes of the game the Red kept its players circulating; all 27 got playing time and some valuable experience.
“It was the first contest in maybe a month where we could get everyone in,” Graap said.
And she was happy to see the whole team contribute.
“All the freshmen had some really good moments,” she continued, also noting solid play from all of the back-ups in the game.
Cornell’s record now stands at 11-1 overall. The Red has a 5-1 Ivy mark, good for second in the league. For the second straight week the team is ranked sixth in the nation in the Division I coaches’ poll. “It’s important for us to remember to keep improving,” Graap noted. “We have goals for the postseason.”
And to meet those goals, namely making the NCAA tournament and converting on its opportunities there, the team has to continue to elevate its play.
This Saturday, Cornell faces off against Harvard for its final Ivy match-up. The Crimson sits tied for sixth in the league, and if the Red comes out with a win it will have its highest Ivy League finish ever.
“We’re looking forward to Harvard in Cambridge,” concluded Graap.
Archived article by Matt James