The Cardinal women’s lacrosse team (3-9) took the field on Saturday against NESCAC and Little Three rival Williams on a cold, wet day in Middletown. This was the two teams’ first meeting at Wesleyan since the Cardinals upset the Ephs 9-8 in 2008, which was the first victory for Wesleyan over the Ephs in more than three decades, and one of the biggest wins in program history. This year, the Cardinals entered the game 0-6 in the NESCAC, and with three games left in the season and its playoff hopes fading, the team was trying to right the ship and take the first step towards a Little Three title. Despite coming off a win against St. John Fisher College, Wes was unable to win its first pair of consecutive games this season, as the Cardinals fell to the Ephs by a 13-7 score.

The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead as Catherine Taibi ’13 scored off an assist from Allie Lynch ’11 at the 27:19 mark of the first half. The Ephs were quick to respond, however, and quickly turned the tables on the Cards, scoring seven straight goals to go up 7-1. By the end of the first half, the Ephs were up 9-3, with three of their goals coming off of free-position shots, and held a 20-13 lead in the shots on goal category. In the second half, Wesleyan put up a valiant fight, but penalties and mental mistakes hamstrung their efforts. Each team scored four goals in the second half, but the deficit from the first was too large to surmount, and the Cards fell 13-7, their 27th loss in 28 games against Williams since 1984.

Taibi and Erin McCarthy ’10 each scored two goals to lead the Cardinals, and Lynch led the team in assists with four. Kayla Ellman ’13, Kaylin Berger ’13, and Averill Roberto ’13 also added one goal each for the Cards. Taibi also was the team leader in ground balls, picking up four in the game. Maggie Drowica ’12 faced an onslaught of shots by the Ephs, especially in the first half, but saved a respectable eight shots throughout the game.

The loss dropped the Cardinals to 0-7 in the NESCAC and officially eliminated the team from playoff contention, while the Ephs improved to 4-3 in conference play as they jockey for position amongst the middle of the conference standings. Wesleyan will try for its first conference win on Saturday against Amherst in a game that will determine who gets second place in the Little Three standings. Williams defeated the Lord Jeffs 9-8 earlier in the year, and thus the Cardinal’s defeat locked up first place in the Little Three for the Ephs for the first time since 2000. Last season, Wesleyan earned its first win against the Lord Jeffs since 1994 with a 12-5 demolition on Smith Field, and the Cardinals will look to make it two in a row at noon on Saturday.