Opponent Preview: What to know ahead of Cornell

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While it’s unbeaten in Atlantic Coast Conference play, Syracuse has faced one of the toughest nonconference schedules in Division I. According to Lacrosse Reference, the Orange are No. 1 in strength of schedule and No. 3 in RPI, trailing just Maryland and Penn.

They’ve faced top Big Ten teams like Northwestern and Maryland as well as elite Patriot League squads like Loyola and Army. And SU can’t forget its loss versus Coastal Athletic Association powerhouse Stony Brook. The Orange are 3-3 in nonconference play, facing five ranked teams along the way.

But as the regular season winds down, Syracuse faces its final non-ACC opponent Tuesday against Cornell. The Big Red have yet to defeat a ranked opponent in 2024 and enter the matchup on a two-game winning streak.

Here’s everything to know about Cornell (7-3, 2-1 Ivy League) before it faces No. 3 Syracuse (9-3, 6-0 ACC):

All-time series

Syracuse leads 20-5.

Last time they played…

On March 28, 2023, Syracuse rode a 7-2 first quarter to a 19-13 victory over Cornell to mark its 12th straight win, which tied a program record. Led by goalie Delaney Sweitzer’s 52% save percentage and a game-high eight points from Meaghan Tyrrell, the Orange held a lead as large as 11.

Cornell climbed back on a 7-0 run in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to four. Still, the Orange closed the game with goals by Gracie Britton and Shira Parower to clinch a victory over the Big Red.

The Big Red report

Cornell hasn’t touched the Inside Lacrosse Poll thus far in 2024 despite winning five of its first six games. The Big Red have faced only two ranked teams through 10 games, falling to then-No. 15 Virginia before a one-goal loss more recently to then-No. 18 Princeton.

The Big Red lost their top threat from a year ago in Amanda Cramer to graduation. Their former second-leading scorer, Katie Castiello, is now a graduate student at Clemson.

Though Josie Vogel, who returns for her senior season, has emerged from a secondary scorer into Cornell’s best. Vogel leads the team with 2.6 goals per game and scored a season-high five in her last game versus Jacksonville. Additionally, Kylie Gelabert moved from the bench to the starting lineup and is a top option alongside Vogel.

In net, Ellie Horner is in her second season as the starter and is allowing 2.8 fewer goals per game than she did in 2023. Despite Horner’s improvements, Cornell’s defense is ranked 51st in the nation in defensive efficiency, according to Lacrosse Reference. Though on offense, despite ranking 91st in pacing, the Big Red are 20th in efficiency and 17th in turnover rate.

How Syracuse beats Cornell

Through its six-game winning streak, Syracuse has dominated on draws to give its potent offense enough possessions to thrive. The Orange are coming off their best offensive performance of the season in a 22-goal outing versus Louisville.

Facing Cornell, a team that wins 53.2% of draws, controlling possession for SU shouldn’t be much of an issue as Kate Mashewske is coming off a 16-draw performance and is peaking at the right time.

On the attack, Syracuse is averaging 16 goals per game compared to Cornell’s 13.5. SU star Emma Tyrrell has been red hot recently, scoring four or more goals in four of the last five games. Another stellar day from Mashewske and Tyrrell will extend Syracuse’s winning streak to seven heading into its final regular-season stretch.

Cindy Zhang | Digital Design Director

Stat to know: 6,558

The date was April 19, 2006. LeBron James would play in his first-ever NBA playoff game three days later, Steve Jobs was still months away from unveiling the first iPhone and Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day” was the No. 1 song in the United States. That’s the last time Cornell beat Syracuse in a women’s lacrosse game.

Since that contest 6,558 days ago, the Orange have beaten the Big Red 15 straight times. SU has a +92 scoring differential versus Cornell through the winning streak and has moved the all-time series from tied 5-5 to a 15-win advantage.

Player to watch: Kylie Gelabert, midfielder, No. 3

In her junior season, Gelabert has emerged as a scorer and facilitator for the Big Red. Through 10 games, she’s totaled 14 goals and 30 points, a large increase from her first two seasons at Cornell in which she totaled 31 in both years combined.

Against Binghamton on March 12, Gelabert tallied a game-high five assists and seven points in a 15-7 win. Versus Virginia, though Cornell lost by nine, she led the way with four points. If Gelabert’s facilitating is shut down, the Big Red will have little chance of keeping up with SU.