MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – It's tough to script a more perfect Senior Day for the No. 3 Wesleyan women's lacrosse team as the Cardinals dominated No. 19 Williams in a 11-3 win that secured the Little Three Championship. A talented and decorated 12-player Senior Class of 2026 celebrated its third Little Three title over the last four seasons while the Cardinals (12-2, 7-2 NESCAC) clinched a home playoff game in the NESCAC Quarterfinal round next Saturday with the win.
 
Saturday's eight-goal win made history as the three goals allowed is the fewest Williams has scored in 51 all-time meetings between the Little Three rivals. Wesleyan prolongs a run of dominance against the Ephs as the Cardinals have won 10 consecutive meetings dating back to 2016.
 
Wesleyan controlled several key facets on Saturday, holding a commanding 11-4 edge in draw controls and finishing +5 in shots (22-17), but the biggest difference maker in the contest was senior goalkeeper Izzy Weintraub '26. The two-time All-American was at her vest best, finishing the contest with 12 saves which ties her career-high. Weintraub and the Cardinal defense held the Ephs scoreless for over 43 straight minutes, making seven straight saves in the process.
 
Weintraub set the tone right from the start, making a save on Katy McCullough in the opening minute while she denied Ainsley Abel just over a minute later. Weintraub added another save, this time on Paige Nelson, a few minutes later before McCullough got one past the senior keeper to knot the score at 1-1.
 
Both defenses dominated the rest of the first quarter, with Addie Cummings '26 breaking the deadlock with 1:33 left in the stanza to spot the Cardinals a 2-1 lead entering the second.
 
The Weintraub dominance continued after the teams changed sides to start the second, with Weintraub making two more saves to keep the Cardinals' one-goal lead intact. Becca Dibble '26 beat her defender on a crash towards cage, receiving a pass from Kyra Browne '26 to slide home the goal. Wesleyan then sprung for two goals in just over one minute of play as Dylan Green '26 broke free for an unassisted marker before Cummings assisted a Mya Waryas '27 goal that made it 5-1 Cardinals at halftime.
 
Securing the opening draw of the second half, Wesleyan continued the scoring run with two goals just 42 seconds apart. Waryas found some space on the right wing for the opening goal of the second half then Cummings completed her hat trick at the 13:27 mark to make it 7-1 Wesleyan.
 
Midway through the quarter, Weintraub came up with a strong save of the year contender as a Weintraub turnover on a clear attempt at midfield gave the NESCAC's leader in goals and points on the year Franny Donohue a clear run at cage. With no field players to dodge, Donohue only had Weintraub to beat but the keeper sprinted back to the crease and stood tall, denying Donohue's shot destined for the top right corner.
 
Wesleyan's suffocating defense continued to dominate the game while Dibble added her second of the game to make it 8-1 Cardinals heading into the fourth.
 
The Cardinals flirted with the 10-goal running clock rule as Maddie Shoemaker '27 and Dibble scored to make it 10-1 Wesleyan with just over 10 minutes left. However, McCullough scored for the Ephs with 9:42 remaining, putting an end to a scoreless draught that lasted two full quarters and a total of 43:41 of play.
 
Waryas scored on a free position shot just one minute later to complete her hat trick and the Wesleyan scoring who saw all 12 seniors take the field together over the final 3+ minutes of play.
 
Cummings and Dibble both finished with three goals and one assist for a team-leading four points. Cummings has at least three points in four straight games and in eight of the past nine contests while Dibble's hat trick is her first of the season and third of her career. Waryas added three goals to give her eight tallies in the past two games.
 
Lindsey Diomede '26 continues a sensational senior year as the NESCAC leader in caused turnovers and ground balls was at it again on Saturday, finishing with eight caused turnovers, six ground balls, and four draw controls. The eight caused turnovers is a career-high and ties the single-game program record previously set by Erin Trotta '22 against Endicott in 2022.
 
Next up for Wesleyan is a road game at Connecticut College on Wednesday at 6 PM to close out the regular season.