CLINTON, N.Y. – Wesleyan University scored five goals in the first quarter and the Cardinals went on to a 12-9 NESCAC win against the Hamilton College Continentals at Hamilton's cool and damp Steuben Field on Saturday, April 12.
Season Update
- The Continentals (3-8, 1-8 NESCAC) played their fourth straight game against a ranked opponent.
- Nationally ranked No. 7 Wesleyan (9-4, 4-4) won their third in a row.
How It Happened
- Hamilton's Sarah Creamer '26 scored 18 seconds into the first quarter and 10 seconds after the Cardinals took a green card as the Continentals grabbed their only lead of the day.
- Wesleyan scored the next four goals and led the rest of the way. The Cardinals were up 5-2 after one quarter and 6-3 at the half.
- Hamilton scored the first two goals of the third quarter and pulled within one. Aine Cleary '25 found the back of the net a split second before the 90-second shot clock expired on the first possession after the break, and Maddigan Leifer '26 made it 6-5 with 8:55 left.
- Wesleyan countered with the next three goals and held a 9-5 advantage at the end of three quarters.
- The Continentals drew within a goal again in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter as Cleary, Eugenia Kaltsas '26 and Julia Lee '27 all scored.
- Addie Cummings gave the Cardinals some cushion with two goals in a span of 57 seconds. The latter goal put Wesleyan up 11-8 with 8:21 remaining.
- Leifer cut Hamilton's deficit to just two again with 7:26 to go, but the Cardinals' defense allowed just one shot the rest of the way.
Notes
- Cleary finished with three goals and an assist, and is tied for the team lead with 22 points.
- Leifer recorded two goals, an assist and a season-high five draw controls. She also has 22 points this season.
- Kaltsas chipped in a goal and a helper for her second consecutive multi-point game.
- Sarah Stonestreet '25 handed out two assists and scooped up a career-best six ground balls. Stonestreet tops the Continentals with 12 assists.
- Alex Orlando '25 notched her team-leading 18th goal.
- Lee registered her 16th goal and her first since she was injured against Middlebury College two weeks ago.
- Creamer has goals in three straight games and seven this season.
- Sophia Wright '28 picked up her first collegiate assist.
- Claire Neumann '28 contributed a season-high five ground balls and three caused turnovers.
- Kat Showalter '26 won a career-best four draws -- all in the fourth quarter.
- Starting goalie Clara Paolucci '28 made six saves in 42-plus minutes.
- Kiara Tangney led Wesleyan with four goals and four draw controls. Cummings added three goals and Sam DeLeo collected two goals and two assists. Izzy Weintraub stopped 10 shots.
- The Cardinals scored on four of seven free-position shots while Hamilton had one goal on three shots.
- Wesleyan has won nine of the last 10 meetings with the Continentals.
- Cleary, Stonestreet, Orlando, Maddie Boger '25, Anna Zoccolillo '25, Emma Toes '25, Carlisle West '25, Jessica Winslow '25 and Anna Peterson '25 were honored after the game as part of a Senior Day celebration.
Next Game
Hamilton hosts University of Rochester (4-9) for a non-conference game at Withiam Field on Tuesday, April 15 at 6 p.m.
