MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Following a back-and-forth first half, the No. 2 Wesleyan women's lacrosse team used a 10-1 scoring run to build a double-digit lead before ultimately defeating MIT by a score of 17-10 on Sunday afternoon from Smith Field. Wesleyan (8-0) continues its best start in team history while the Engineers (7-3) see their six-game win streak come to a halt.
 
One day removed from a defense-dominated 8-3 win over Hamilton, Wesleyan and MIT combined for 10 goals in the first quarter alone. The Engineers worked the ball into good areas and put away their chances, holding a 3-2 and 4-3 lead in the stanza before the Cardinals finished the frame with three unanswered goals. Addie Cummings '26 registered her third point of the quarter with a goal to tie the score then Bridget Horst '26 shook free of a defender for a goal and Elle Priesing '26 finished off the first with a goal to make it 6-4 Wesleyan.
 
MIT continued to hang in, scoring two and allowing just two goals in the second quarter despite Wesleyan outshooting the Engineers 15-3 in the second quarter alone. MIT goalkeeper Pauline Vien made four saves in the second to keep her team in the game as it was 8-6 Wesleyan at halftime.
 
After finishing the first half on a high note with a Lindsey Diomede '26 goal in the final minute of play, Wesleyan kept the momentum going with four unanswered goals to start the second half. Mya Waryas '27 worked a great pass to Abby Galaris '29 at the far post for the first goal of the second half then Kyra Browne '26, Waryas, and Cummings each scored in a span of four minutes.
 
Taking a 12-7 lead into the fourth quarter, Wesleyan put the game away early on in the fourth as Waryas scored on the opening possession then Cummings found the back of the net on a player-up opportunity. Goals from Diomede, Cummings again, and Waryas completed the scoring for the Cardinals who went on to win 17-10.
 
Wesleyan held a 43-14 shot advantage in the contest while the Cardinals committed a season-low seven turnovers. The 43 shots are the most by any Cardinal team since the 2022 season while the seven turnovers are the fewest for Wesleyan in a game since 2023.
 
Starring on attack was the tandem of Cummings and Waryas, both of whom registered career games in the process. Cummings led the way with a career-high nine points on six goals and three assists, all three of which are new single-game career-highs for the senior attack. Cummings is the first Cardinal in at least 16 years to register nine points in a game.
 
Waryas was heavily involved throughout as the junior attack finished with three goals and four assists for a career-high seven points. For Waryas, this is her sixth career hat trick while it's her first career four-assist game and she easily bested her previous career-high of five points in a single-game.
 
Diomede continues to shine in her senior year, as the senior midfielder finished with three goals, four draw controls, four ground balls, and two caused turnovers. Diomede is just two points away from a single-season career-high while this marks her first career hat trick.
 
Molly Simon '26 led the defense with three caused turnovers. Horst posted two points, five draw controls, and two caused turnovers. Cannon Martin '29 led the Cardinals with six draw controls.
 
Wesleyan heads into a massive week with two Top 5 matches on the road starting with Amherst on Wednesday night then at Middlebury on Saturday.