Three years after falling one step short of claiming the NCAA men’s lacrosse national championship, Cornell has finally reached the peak.
With CJ Kirst recording six goals — upping his season total to 82 to equal the Division I single-season record — plus an assist, the Big Red avenged their 2022 loss to Maryland by defeating the Terrapins 13-10 on Monday in Foxborough, Mass.
The win gave Cornell its first team championship in any sport since the lacrosse team won in 1977 while handing Maryland its third title game loss in five years. What’s more, Kirst reset the Division I career scoring mark with his six goals to finish with 247.
Ryan Goldstein had four goals for Cornell, while Andrew Dalton and Ryan Waldman also netted a score apiece. Wyatt Knust finished with 12 saves for the Big Red.
Maryland’s Zach Whittier, Eric Spanos and Braden Erksa each had two goals, while Bryce Ford, Daniel Kelly, Jack Schultz and Elijah Stobaugh all scored once. Logan McNaney totaled 11 saves in goal.
“Credit to these guys, credit to these players, credit to this tradition, credit to my staff,” Cornell coach Connor Buczek, a former Big Red midfielder himself, told ESPN during a postgame interview.
“I’m the luckiest guy in the world and I’m surrounded by incredible people who just work their tails off day in, day out. I’m so happy for the university. I’m so happy for our tradition. This feels incredible.”
–Field Level Media
