Following a dominant display over Lehigh in its season opener on Saturday, Feb. 15, men’s lacrosse heads home for their first match at Schoellkopf Field.
It may feel like déjà vu – Cornell (1-0) is back where it was on Feb. 24, 2024, fresh off a win against Lehigh (0-3) and preparing to take the field against Denver (2-1). Last season, this setup didn’t result favorably for the Red, as the Pioneers took a narrow 17-16 victory thanks to an offensive surge in the final quarter.
Denver went on to a long NCAA run to the National Semifinals, where they fell to Notre Dame in a decisive 13-6 tally. Cornell, on the other hand, didn’t make the tournament.
This year, head coach Connor Buczek ’15 hopes that prowess on the attack and a solidifying defensive line will put the Red back on top.
“Those games that we came out on the wrong side of [last year] have haunted us,” Buczek said. “The rallying call has been how thin those margins were. I don’t think anybody forgets how it felt to get in that locker room after and know you were one play away.”
Last Saturday at Lehigh, Cornell put up 18 goals while allowing 10, with senior attackman CJ Kirst netting six. Sophomore attackman Willem Firth put up four of his own, senior attackman Michael Long took three and sophomore midfielder Luke Gilmartin and senior midfielder Andrew Dalton each picked up two. Sophomore attackman Ryan Goldstein rounded out the group, scoring one and earning four assists.
This trademark offensive prowess was expected from the Red’s many decorated attackmen; the Red’s biggest point for improvement has been identified on the back end.
“Great defenses make it feel like there’s not a lot of room on the field,” Buczek said. “I’m looking forward to [the defenders] getting more reps. Last week was a good test, and this week will be another opportunity for those guys to show where we’re heading.”
A major difference from 2024’s matchup with Denver is at the X. Last year, junior faceoff Jack Cascadden wasn’t able to take the field against the Pioneers, leaving Denver’s Alec Stathakis to take 22 of 37 faceoffs.
Stathakis, a graduate student for the 2024 season, was one of Denver’s losses heading into 2025, while Cascadden put up a formidable 17 of the 25 faceoffs he took against Lehigh last week.
“[Cascadden] did an excellent job,” Buczek said. “The version of him that we’re getting is the version we would have hoped for; he has his confidence back, and he’s finding his rhythm.”
The game will be Cornell’s first with a ranked team, with Inside Lacrosse polling Denver at No. 12 and the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association placing them at No. 13. Despite dropping its season-opener to No. 8 Johns Hopkins, Denver is coming off two weeks of victories against Air Force Academy and University of Utah.
Despite losing Stathakis and four crucial members of a highly effective defense from the 2024 roster, Denver retained key pieces of their lineup, including Malcolm Kleban in goal. Fresh faces have already proven to be effective for the Pioneers.
“[Denver] was a veteran team last year,” Buczek said. “This year, they’ve got a lot of solid freshmen and sophomores that are playing a more significant role than they have in the past. The young guys on tape don’t look like young guys. They’re playing high-level ball at an early age.”
With teams settling into new lineups and dynamics, early-season matches can turn in surprising directions. The Red hopes to extend their first-game momentum as they host the Pioneers at 11 a.m. Saturday at Schoellkopf Field.
Coverage of the game will be available on ESPN+.
