With seven of 13 regular-season games left to play, No 4/3 men’s lacrosse seeks to ride the momentum from its electric Ivy League opening victory against No. 6 Princeton into its remaining conference matches.
The Red (5-1, 1-0 Ivy) heads to New Haven, Connecticut, on Saturday, where it will face Yale (1-4, 0-1 Ivy) for its second Ivy competition of 2025. Though the Bulldogs’ record hasn’t lived up to the expectations of preseason polls, which placed them in the top 10, Yale has reliably shown up as a conference contender.
“[Yale] is still finding their footing,” said head coach Connor Buczek ’15. “They’re going to challenge us. They’ve got great athletes, great skills, and they put pressure on constantly.”
In 2024, Cornell edged out Yale 18-15 in the teams’ only meeting, missing a second matchup during the Ivy League Tournament due to both falling in the semifinal round.
The Bulldogs’ powerhouse comes on the faceoff with Machado Rodriguez, who has a .58 percentage this season. Luckily, junior faceoff and midfielder Jack Cascadden is coming off of a strong performance against Princeton where he won 13 of 23 faceoffs. Freshman faceoff Michael Melkonian also pitched in, taking four of six.
“The faceoff is daunting, and it’s very much a team effort,” Buczek said. “Rodriguez is excellent, and he’s a well rounded lacrosse player. He’s great off the ground. He’s got quick hands on the whistle. So it’s going to be a test for us.”
On the offensive end, the Red are still dominant, with both the standout stars and depth required to show up consistently in front of the net.
Senior attackman CJ Kirst still boasts the most goals per game in the country with an average of 4.67. During the match with Princeton, Kirst broke Cornell’s all-time scoring record, overtaking Mike French ’76. French, who set the previous record at 191 over 50 years prior, was in attendance to see Kirst overtake his title.
“[French] set the standard for this program,” Buzcek said, “and we get to be around that greatness. Every one of our guys understands the responsibility that's inherent in the four years you had here; it’s not what it is unless all those people continue to pay it forward and give back.”
Cornell showcased its offensive depth against Princeton, with six different players earning three or more points.
Sophomore attackman Ryan Goldstein currently leads the team in assists, having aided in 15 goals across the first six matches. Goldstein ranks ninth nationally for assists per game. Senior midfielder Hugh Kelleher, another veteran on the front line, is now just one shy of the 100-point mark.
“We put a great week of work together, showed up and put in a complete effort [against Princeton], probably our most complete effort to date,” Buczek said. “It’s another stepping stone. It shows our maturity.”
With a solid foundation in place, the Red will hope to rely on veteran leadership and developing newcomers to fend off the Bulldogs.
The match begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday and will be streamed live from New Haven on ESPN+.
