MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – It's a third straight win over a nationally-ranked NESCAC opponent for the No. 7 ranked Wesleyan women's lacrosse team as the Cardinals held off a spirited late rally attempt from the No. 22 ranked Bantams in a 16-12 triumph on Wednesday night from Smith Field. This marks the seventh straight win for Wesleyan (8-2, 4-2 NESCAC) over their in-state league rival Trinity (5-6, 2-5 NESCAC).
 
Wesleyan was the better side in the early going, jumping out to a 4-1 lead after the first quarter. Trinity's nine turnovers in the quarter easily outnumbered the Bantams' shot total (three) in the frame while Olivia Lai '23 netted a pair of goals, including one with just four seconds left on the clock, to create some early separation.
 
The Cardinals built a 6-1 lead in a span of just 27 seconds as Dylan Green '26 scored her first of two goals on the night before Laura Baine '24 found Brooke Nelson '24 open in front for a player-up goal. Trinity found some success on offense in the second quarter, scoring four unanswered goals to shave the deficit down to just one goal with 5:54 left in the stanza.
 
That, however, was the closest Trinity would get to the lead for the remainder of play as the Cardinals scored the final two goals of the first half, both coming off the stick of Baine. The reigning IWLCA National Offensive Player of the Week netted a free position goal with the Cardinals on the player-up before later taking a feed from Bridget Horst '26 and finding the back of the net to make it 8-5 Wesleyan at halftime.
 
Baine completed a natural hat trick 49 seconds into the third quarter, scoring the third straight goal in the game, finishing a great forced turnover and feed in transition from Lai. More than five minutes later, Baine was again involved as she picked up a ground ball and hit Becca Dibble '26 with a perfect pass in-stride who finished to make it 10-5 Cardinals.
 
Trinity scored just over a minute later to break up the scoring run, but Wesleyan extended their lead with four unanswered goals over the final 3+ minutes of the quarter. Baine had her hand in another goal, this time assisting Elle Priesing '26 with 3:26 left in the stanza. Lai netted a terrific individual goal on the next Cardinal possession before Annabel Cincotta '25 finished in traffic for her first goal of the season. Priesing finished off the run with a great dodge, beating her defender towards cage where she finished to make it 14-6 Wesleyan heading into the fourth.
 
Despite trailing by eight goals, the Bantams did not go away quietly, scoring five unanswered in just over six minutes of play in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit down to 14-11 with 4:20 left in regulation. On the ensuing draw, Wesleyan claimed possession and with Trinity's defense playing aggressively looking for a turnover, a yellow card was followed by a green card, and Green scored on a two-player-up possession for Wesleyan to put the game on ice.
 
Baine was tremendous once again, registering a career-high eight points on four goals and four assists. The four assists ties a career-high while she is the first Cardinal in at least 20 years to tally eight points in a single-game. Biane also moved into third all-time at Wesleyan with 162 career points.
 
Molly Greer '24 had a major impact on the proceedings as the senior midfielder posted a career-high six caused turnovers to go along with four ground balls and one goal. Her six caused turnovers are the most by a Cardinal in a game this season while the four ground balls ties her career-high.
 
More big games defensively for the Cardinals included Lilly Stoller '26 who posted new career-highs in both caused turnovers (four) and ground balls (three). Catherine Vien '25 caused two turnovers in what was her first career start. Kiara Tangney '25 contributed all over the field with two caused turnovers, three ground balls, and four draw controls. As a team, Wesleyan was credited with caused turnovers on 20 of Trinity's 22 turnovers for the game, which is a new season-high.
 
Lai finished the four goals and one assist for five points to go along with four ground balls. Dibble, Horst, Green, Nelson, and Priesing all finished with two points. Wesleyan outshot Trinity 30-21 for the game and 26-11 through the first three quarters.
 
Wesleyan is back at home on Saturday with an 11 AM start against Hamilton. The Cardinals have beaten the Continentals in seven of their last eight meetings dating back to 2017.