NEW LONDON, Conn. - The Connecticut College women's lacrosse team wrapped up the 2024 season, falling to visiting No. 3 Wesleyan University 15-5 on Wednesday night from Silfen Field. With the loss, Conn falls to 7-8 overall and 2-8 in NESCAC play, while Wesleyan improves to 13-2 and 8-2 in conference action.
The first quarter was slow as both defenses started strong. Wesleyan (13-2, 8-2 NESCAC) opened the scoring at the midway point of the first quarter on a free-position goal from Kiara Tangney. The Cardinals doubled the lead two minutes later, before Conn (7-8, 2-8) had a chance to cut the lead in half, but Kate Coughlin's (Reading, Mass.) effort was stopped. Late in the frame, Wesleyan added a third goal to lead 3-0 after one.
The Cardinals had a strong second quarter, outscoring the Camels 9-0 in the frame to lead 12-0 at the break.
Conn finally got on the board early in the third quarter as Coughlin connected with Janet Howard (Madison, Conn.) at 14:08. Wesleyan answered with a free-position tally at 7:52 but just under a minute later, Coughlin hit the back of the net herself to make it 13-2. The Cardinals pushed the lead to 14-2, but another tally from Coughlin at 1:11 had the Camels trailing 14-3 heading to the fourth.
The start of the opening frame was slow as both sides were unable to find the cage. Conn cut the lead to 14-4 at 6:33 as Campbell Johnston (Duxbury, Mass.) converted a free-position shot. Two minutes later, Johnston recorded her second goal of the game to make it 14-5, but Wesleyan added a goal with 18 seconds left to come away with the 15-5 win.
Wesleyan outshot Conn 27-17, while holding a 13-10 edge on draw controls.
Viollette Nidds (Ridgewood, N.J.) got the start in net, making six saves, closing out her career with 417 saves, the third most in program history. Coughlin led the Camels with three points on two goals and one assist, as Johnston notched two goals, and Howard added one.
Conn scooped up 12 ground balls, with Nidds collecting four and eight other Camels scooping up one each. The Camels forced nine turnovers with Casey Chesner (Great Falls, Va.) causing two and seven other Camels causing one. Con was 11-14 on clear attempts, while Chesner, Aine Downey (Brookline, Mass.) Hannah Merritt (Cheshire, Conn.), and Sydney Weber (Hanover, Mass.) all controlled two draws.
Three goalies combined to make 10 saves in net for Hamilton, as Izzy Weintraub earned the win. Laura Baine paced the Cardinals with five points on three goals and two assists, while Wesleyan was 16-18 on clear attempts.
Conn's season comes to a close, with the Camels finishing the year 7-8 overall and 2-8 in the NESCAC.
