MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – With the score tied at 12 apiece and under 10 minutes left in regulation, a game-ending 4-0 run closed the door on a 16-12 victory for the No. 9 ranked Wesleyan women's lacrosse team over No. 17 Williams on Saturday from Smith Field. Wesleyan (3-1, 1-1 NESCAC) has now beaten the Ephs (3-1, 1-1 NESCAC) in eight straight meetings dating back to 2016.
 
Wesleyan never trailed in this one, but the outcome wasn't decided until the final minutes in another epic clash of Little Three rivals. After putting up 10 first half goals, a new season-high for Wesleyan, the Cardinals saw their 10-6 halftime lead disappear within the first nine minutes of the third quarter as Grace Collier tied the score with 6:41 left in the frame.
 
A 11+ minute scoreless run for Wesleyan ended when Bridget Horst '26 netted a free position goal, but the Ephs answered back with a goal from Elsa Dean-Muncie that made it a 11-11 game heading into the fourth quarter.
 
The two sides traded goals within the first three minutes of the fourth before the pivotal 4-0 Cardinal run over the final 13:03 sealed the win. Williams won the ensuing draw after tying the score at 12-12, but back-to-back Eph turnovers proved costly as Olivia Lai '23 buried an unassisted marker with 8:40 remaining.
 
Securing the draw, the Cardinals went back to work on offense, drawing a yellow card on Molly Hellman which ultimately led to another Lai goal, this time on a free position attempt with 7:22 left.
 
After the Ephs called timeout, Williams took the next draw, only to see Lilly Stoller '26 force another turnover. That Stoller caused turnover signaled a heroic effort from the Cardinal defense, as Williams turned the ball over on seven consecutive possessions over the final 13:03 of play. The Cardinals were credited with a caused turnover on all but one of those Williams possessions with Stoller and Horst recorded two apiece in that stretch.
 
As the clock began to play a role, another free position attempt led to a Becca Dibble '26 goal that gave Wesleyan a three-goal cushion with 2:02 remaining. The Ephs won the next draw, but were forced into yet another turnover, this time by Lindsey Diomede '26, and following a successful clear, the game was nearly in-hand.
 
The Ephs didn't go away quietly, forcing a turnover with about a minute to go, but Williams couldn't clear the ball, with Horst causing another turnover. Molly Greer '24 put the exclamation point on the win, scoring an insurance goal with 28 seconds left on an open net, sealing the 16-12 Cardinal win.
 
After being outscored 5-1 in the third quarter, Wesleyan won the game late thanks to a 5-1 score line favoring the Cardinals in the fourth. Shots favored Wesleyan 32-24 while the Cardinals committed just 12 turnovers for the game, compared to 16 for the Ephs including seven in the fourth quarter alone. Wesleyan also won the ground ball battle (24-14) and draws (17-12).
 
Eight of Wesleyan's 16 goals came on free position attempts, as the Cardinals went 8-for-13 on free position shots for the game compared to 4-of-9 for Williams. Wesleyan's season-high for free position shots coming into play was six while the 13 shot attempts is the most for the Cardinals in a single-game since totaling 14 at Bates back on March 5, 2022.
 
Lai was at her very best, going off for a career-high six goals, which represents the first six-goal game by a Cardinal since Abby Manning '20 against Plymouth State on March 11, 2020. Lai's six goals is just one shy of matching the single-game team record that has been set six times.
 
Greer recorded her third career hat trick, finishing with three goals and one assist to go along with six draw controls. Sam DeLeo '25 had a career day, setting a new career-high with four points (two goals, two assists) while adding a career-high five ground balls to lead the team.
 
Horst contributed across the board with one goal, three ground balls, and two caused turnovers, both coming in the 4-0 fourth quarter run. Kiara Tangney '25 also stuffed the stat sheet with one goal, six draw controls, and one ground ball.
 
Izzy Weintraub '26 played the full game in the cage, making eight saves to pick up her third win of the season.
 
The Cardinals' three-game homestand continues on Monday with a 3 PM non-conference showdown against Endicott. Wesleyan is 4-0 all-time against the Gulls including wins in each of the past two seasons (13-6 in Middletown in 2022; 11-3 in Beverly in 2023).