CLINTON, N.Y. – A five-goal first quarter that featured a 4-0 run proved enough in the end as No. 7 Wesleyan women's lacrosse defeated Hamilton 12-9 on the road on Saturday afternoon. Wesleyan (9-4, 4-4 NESCAC) has rebounded nicely from a three-game losing streak with a three-game win streak while the Continentals (3-8, 1-8 NESCAC) are eliminated from postseason contention with the loss.
 
The first quarter saw Wesleyan come out firing despite playing in far from ideal weather conditions that featured sub-40 degree temperatures and rain. After Hamilton scored on the first possession of the game, the Cardinals answered back with a 4-0 run with two goals from Sam DeLeo '25 while Kiara Tangney '25 and Alix Riley '25 also got involved in the scoring.
 
It was 4-2 Wesleyan heading into the final minute of the first when Tangney drove in for an unassisted goal with just 33 seconds remaining in the frame, giving the Cardinals a three-goal lead after one quarter.
 
Both teams struggled with turnovers in the second quarter, as the two sides combined for 11 miscues in the frame. Becca Dibble '26 scored 1:11 into the period to make it 6-2 Wesleyan while Alex Orlando answered for the Continentals as it was 6-3 at halftime.
 
Hamilton's defense continued to shut down the Wesleyan offense, while goals from Aine Cleary and Maddigan Leifer saw the Continentals trailing by just one goal. In need of a spark, Wesleyan benefitted from a yellow card to Hamilton's Carlisle West, with Elle Priesing '26 finding the back of the net on a player-up free position shot. Kyra Browne '26 won the ensuing draw and Tangney completed her hat trick off a feed from DeLeo just 48 seconds later.
 
Caroline Cervini '27 then caused a turnover after Hamilton won the next draw, setting the stage for an Addie Cummings '26 free position goal that restored a four-goal margin for Wesleyan after three quarters of play.
 
A gamely Hamilton team continued to fight back as a sudden spurt of offense saw the Continentals score three times in less than two minutes very early on in the fourth quarter, prompting a Wesleyan timeout as their lead had dwindled down to 9-8.
 
Molly Simon '26 forced a crucial turnover after Hamilton won the draw following the timeout, and again it was Cummings who supplied the scoring as she connected on a free position goal then scored on another feed from DeLeo and it was suddenly 11-8 Wesleyan with 8:21 remaining.
 
Hamilton got a goal from Leifer with 7:26 left, but a two-goal margin was as close as they would get for the remainder of play as Tangney finished off the scoring with a player-up goal with 3:57 left. Two Hamilton turnovers in the final minutes sealed the 12-9 win for the Cardinals.
 
Tangney put in another tremendous performance as the midfielder scored four goals while adding two caused turnovers, two ground balls, and four draw controls, leading the team in all but ground balls on the day. She has 13 goals over the past four games, recording hat tricks in all four.
 
DeLeo put in two goals and two assists for a four-point game to go along with three ground balls. Cummings recorded her second career hat trick, with all three of her goals coming in the second half including two in the fourth quarter right when Hamilton cut the deficit to one goal.
 
Izzy Weintraub '26 played well in net, recording 10 saves with nine goals allowed for a save percentage north of 50 percent. Weintraub now has four games with double-digit saves on the season. Lindsey Diomede '26 and Simon each finished with two caused turnovers and two ground balls.
 
The Cardinals are back in action next Saturday as Wesleyan plays host to Bowdoin at Noon.