MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Seven unanswered Cardinal goals between the second and third quarters proved more than enough for the No. 8 ranked Wesleyan women's lacrosse team in a 15-8 win over Endicott on Monday afternoon from Smith Field. The Cardinals (4-1) are winners of four straight and improve to 5-0 all-time against the Gulls (2-4).
 
The two sides traded runs in the early going, as Wesleyan ripped off a 4-0 run in a span of 2:54 in the first quarter, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 4-1 lead. Laura Baine '24 scored twice in the run including a finish from close range after Julia Noyes '24 ran the length of the field, beating multiple Gull defenders before unselfishly dishing to Baine for the open goal.
 
Wesleyan took a 6-2 lead early in the second quarter with Olivia Lai '23 converting on a free position attempt, but the Gulls answered back with a 3-0 spurt in just two minutes of game action to cut the deficit to 6-5.
 
Stymying the Endicott run was Bridget Horst '26 who picked up the ensuing draw control and barreled in for her fifth goal of the season. Horst claimed the next draw control which led to another successful possession as Baine found Kiara Tangney '25 open in front to make it 8-5 Wesleyan.
 
Goalkeeper Izzy Weintraub '26 came up big a few minutes later as she denied Kiana Napolitano from close range, flipping momentum which helped lead to a 3-0 Wesleyan spurt to end the half, that extended into a 7-0 run deep into the third quarter. Molly Greer '24 found Sam DeLeo '25 on a player-up goal before Georgia Mackie '24 scored her second of the season 37 seconds later. The Cardinals then beat the buzzer in the closing seconds of the first half, as the ball came to Becca Dibble '26 after a successful clearance who dished to Baine in front. The shot came fractions of a second before the buzzer sounded, hitting the back of the net to make it 11-6 Cardinals at the half.
 
Wesleyan put the game away in the third quarter, outscoring the Gulls 4-0 in a quarter wherein the Cardinals dominated both sides of the field. Lai completed her hat trick before DeLeo scored her second of the game, Baine netted her fourth, and Dibble's second goal came with 40 seconds left in the frame and made it 15-6 Wesleyan heading into the fourth.
 
Endicott scored their first goal in 22:04 of action as Emerson Clark found the back of the net on a goal that was scored with the Gulls playing two players up on attack. Clark scored again for the Gulls late in the fourth as the Cardinals closed out a 15-8 win.
 
Baine led the Wesleyan attack, matching her career-high with four goals while adding an assist for a season-high five-point game. This is the sixth four-goal game in Baine's career.
 
Dibble finished with her first career four-point game, finishing with two goals and two assists. Lai continued her scoring ways, netting three goals to give her hat tricks in all five games in 2024. Diomede registered three points (one goal, two assists) for a new career-high for the sophomore midfielder. DeLeo (two goals) and Greer (two assists) also recorded multi-point games.
 
Horst stuffed the stat sheet with a season-high seven draw controls to go along with one goal, one caused turnover and two ground balls. Kiara Tangney '25 produced one goal, three caused turnovers, and two draw controls while Dylan Green '26 registered two draw controls, two ground balls, and one assist. Noyes, Haley McLaughlin '24, and Lilly Stoller '26 each finished with two caused turnovers.
 
Weintraub was stellar on the afternoon, totaling eight saves and three ground balls with seven goals allowed, as the sophomore finished at or above .500 for save percentage for the second time in 2024.
 
The Cardinals wrap up a three-game homestand on Wednesday with another non-conference clash as Wesleyan welcomes St. Lawrence for a 3 PM start. This is the first meeting between the two sides since 2018 (8-6 Cardinal win in Florida).