The Cornell men’s lacrosse team captured the Ivy League regular-season championship on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Harvard Crimson 11-9 at Schoellkopf Field. With the win, No. 6 Cornell improved to 10-3 overall, secured its 34th league title, and earned the right to host the Ivy League Tournament, while No. 10 Harvard fell to 9-4.
FL1 WEATHER: Dangerous heat grips Finger Lakes through Friday before holiday weekend relief The Big Red showed resilience after falling behind early, using a balanced offensive effort to surge back into control. Ryan Goldstein and Willem Firth led the way, combining for nine goals, while Goldstein added three assists in a dominant all-around performance. In goal, Matthew Tully made 12 saves, and Jack Cascadden controlled possession with 16 faceoff wins.
Trailing 4-1 in the second quarter, Cornell responded with a four-goal run to take a 5-4 lead into halftime. The momentum carried into the third, where the Big Red maintained a narrow edge despite a heavy push from Harvard, which generated sustained pressure and multiple scoring chances.
The fourth quarter turned into a back-and-forth battle, with Harvard tying the game twice, including at 9-9 in the final minutes. Goldstein delivered the decisive moment with a go-ahead goal with just over three minutes remaining, and Firth followed shortly after to add insurance and seal the victory.
Cornell will return to action on Friday, May 1, when it hosts the Ivy League Tournament semifinals at Schoellkopf Field, with game time to be announced.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.