The top two teams in the nation will meet Sunday afternoon for the Ivy League Tournament championship. No. 1 Cornell Men's Lacrosse faces No. 2 Princeton at 1 p.m. on Schoellkopf Field. The game will air on ESPN2.
Cornell advanced to the final after defeating Yale 21-14 in a rain-delayed semifinal match Friday. Princeton secured its spot with an 11-8 win over Harvard in the other semifinal.
Cornell enters the contest with a 13-1 record, including a 6-0 mark in Ivy League play, securing the regular season title. Princeton holds a 12-2 overall record and went 5-1 in league competition.
The Big Red holds a narrow lead in the all-time series against the Tigers, 43-42-1. Cornell and Princeton met in the regular season on March 15 on Schoellkopf Field, with Cornell earning a 15-10 victory.
Cornell currently leads the nation in several offensive categories, including goals (16.2), assists (10.8), and points (27.0) per game. The team also ranks first in shooting percentage (.370) and carries a nine-game win streak into Sunday's game. Fans can follow team statistics online.
Attackers CJ Kirst, Michael Long, and Ryan Goldstein were key contributors in the semifinal win over Yale, combining for 25 points. Kirst leads the nation in career goals with 229.
Faceoff specialist Jack Cascadden has performed well recently, winning 64 percent of draws over the past nine games. Goalkeeper Wyatt Knust has averaged 12.8 saves per game in his last 20 contests.
Head coach Connor Buczek has led the Big Red to four consecutive Ivy titles. The program seeks its third Ivy League Tournament championship with a win Sunday.
A victory against Princeton would mark Cornell's fifth season with at least 14 wins since 2007. It would also push Buczek's career record to 48-15.
The outcome of Sunday's championship game could influence positioning for the NCAA Tournament. The tournament field will be announced later Sunday.
