{"id":69983,"date":"2026-05-18T01:51:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T05:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/?p=69983"},"modified":"2026-05-15T15:40:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T19:40:06","slug":"long-red-line-lacrosse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/long-red-line-lacrosse\/","title":{"rendered":"Book Chronicles the Resurgence of Big Red Men\u2019s Lacrosse"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\">In an excerpt, a 2022 postseason game\u2014with a Cornell player\u2019s brother on the opposing team\u2014presages the triumphs to come<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By <strong><strong>Beth Saulnier<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\"><em>In spring 2022, Cornell University Press\u2019s Three Hills imprint published <\/em><a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cornellpress.cornell.edu\/book\/9781501762826\/we-showed-baltimore\/\">We Showed Baltimore<\/a><em>, about the glory days of Big Red lacrosse under legendary coach Richie Moran\u2014when, in a span from 1976\u201378, the team won 42 games, lost just one, and earned two national championships.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Now, the author of that book, veteran lacrosse reporter Christian Swezey, is back at Three Hills with a study of a much more recent triumph: the NCAA title that the Big Red won in May 2025, its first since Moran\u2019s era.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><em>Titled<\/em> <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cornellpress.cornell.edu\/book\/9781501790881\/the-long-red-line\/\">The Long Red Line<\/a>: Cornell Lacrosse and the Forty-Eight-Year Quest for Glory<em>, it chronicles how head coach (and former star player) Connor Buczek \u201915, MBA \u201917, and his staff built the squad that took home the championship.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>(The book&#8217;s title is an affectionate synonym for Big Red athletics\u2014a \u201csymbol of the enduring legacy and brotherhood shared by anyone who\u2019s ever slipped a Cornell jersey over his head,\u201d <em>as <\/em><\/em>USA Lacrosse Magazine<em><em> <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usalacrosse.com\/magazine\/college\/men\/long-red-line-led-national-championship\">defined it<\/a> in covering the 2025 NCAA<\/em><\/em> <em>win.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The victory, Swezey writes, was all the more poignant in the wake of COVID-era cancellations, which had quashed the dreams of players and coaches alike.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"755\" src=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Swezey-S26-cover-A.jpg\" alt=\"The cover of &quot;The Long Red Line&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-71496 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Swezey-S26-cover-A.jpg 500w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Swezey-S26-cover-A-199x300.jpg 199w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Swezey-S26-cover-A-262x395.jpg 262w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Swezey-S26-cover-A-331x500.jpg 331w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Swezey-S26-cover-A-166x250.jpg 166w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Swezey-S26-cover-A-83x125.jpg 83w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>In the following excerpt adapted from one of the early chapters, he details an NCAA semifinal game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Memorial Day Weekend, three years before the historic win.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>It was a dramatic match-up\u2014not only due to the violent weather, but because the older brother of a Big Red player was on the opposing team.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote alignwide has-cornell-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-268a6bd11be5807ae60d8ec0f83e5472\"><blockquote><p>\u2018Don\u2019t Forget to Play Loose and Relaxed\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">Cornell had its eye on Rutgers for much of the 2022 season, though not through any prescience. It was because the Rutgers star goalie was senior Colin Kirst, brother of Cornell attackman CJ Kirst \u201925.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rutgers was in the semifinals for the first time in program history. It entered having beaten a pair of Ivy League teams, Harvard in the NCAA first round and Penn in the quarterfinals. In those games, Colin Kirst made 35 saves and gave up only 18 goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On offense, the Scarlet Knights liked to set picks, then hope for a mix-up on the defense to lead to an open shot. Cornell\u2019s defensive plan was to be aggressive on the picks, to not sit back and let Rutgers have a clear moment or two to decide whether to pass or shoot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"The Cornell Big Red men\u2019s lacrosse team competes against Rutgers on Saturday, May 28, 2022 in East Hartford, CT during the NCAA National Semifinals.\" class=\"wp-image-71493\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-608x342.jpg 608w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-304x171.jpg 304w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-152x85.jpg 152w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-1184x666.jpg 1184w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-592x333.jpg 592w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-296x166.jpg 296w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-1264x711.jpg 1264w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-632x356.jpg 632w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-316x178.jpg 316w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-400x225.jpg 400w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A-100x56.jpg 100w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0705-A.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attackman Mikey Long \u201923, BS \u201925, in action.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The star Scarlet Knight was attackman Ross Scott, 5-feet-9, 175 pounds, a native of West Linn, OR, speedy with a hard outside shot. In the NCAA first-round victory over Harvard, Scott scored eight goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Midfielder Joe Bartolotto \u201921, BS \u201922, recalled overhearing a coaches\u2019 meeting days before the semifinal. One of the coaches brought up jersey number five, meaning Scott. Defensive coordinator Jordan Stevens \u201915 gave a quick answer: \u201cI have Gavin [Adler \u201922, BS \u201923] on him. He\u2019ll be neutralized. Let\u2019s move on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote alignwide is-style-solid-color\"><blockquote><p>Cornell\u2019s defensive plan was to be aggressive on the picks, to not sit back and let Rutgers have a clear moment or two to decide whether to pass or shoot.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Cornell traveled to East Hartford, CT, for a walkthrough practice the day before the game, then headed to its hotel, the Marriott in downtown Hartford on Columbus Boulevard. Around 30 minutes before the team dinner, Buczek asked defenseman Dom Doria \u201922 if he wanted to deliver the traditional night-before-the-game speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI mostly talked about the Long Red Line,\u201d Doria says. \u201cAbout the 2020 class that didn\u2019t get to play again, the opportunity we had that they didn\u2019t get to have. I reminded them of the work we had done to get here, the conditioning with Coach [Tom] Howley. And I also said, \u2018Don\u2019t forget to play loose and relaxed. Have fun.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DSCF3473-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Big Red men's lacrosse coach Richie Moran speaks to team members at Schoellkopf Field in spring 1984\" class=\"wp-image-69895\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DSCF3473-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DSCF3473-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DSCF3473-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DSCF3473-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DSCF3473-1264x843.jpeg 1264w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DSCF3473-632x421.jpeg 632w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DSCF3473-316x211.jpeg 316w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DSCF3473-400x267.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DSCF3473-200x133.jpeg 200w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DSCF3473-100x67.jpeg 100w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DSCF3473.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"rkv-image-credit\">rare and manuscript collections<\/figcaption><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Coaching legend Richie Moran in Schoellkopf in spring 1984.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>That night, according to <em>Lacrosse Magazine<\/em>, CJ Kirst did a quick FaceTime call with Colin. The two joked about which color cleats the Ivy League rookie of the year should wear. The brothers did not need reminders about having fun on the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Saturday, the crowd of 21,668 included hundreds of Cornell students, fans, and lacrosse alumni, many of whom reminisced in the grassy tailgate area about the late Moran. One Cornell student brought a sign into the game noting the Kirst family\u2019s divided allegiance: \u201cCJ is the favorite child!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trailing 1-0, midfielder Hugh Kelleher \u201924, BA \u201925, on his typical hard-dodge to the goal, was so forceful he bent the stick of defensive midfielder Brennan Kamish, who raced off the field to get a new one. Another Kelleher dodge later in the quarter knocked a defender clean off his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote alignwide is-style-solid-color\"><blockquote><p>The crowd of 21,668 included hundreds of Cornell students, fans, and lacrosse alumni, many of whom reminisced in the grassy tailgate area about the late Moran. <\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>By the end of the first quarter, each member of Cornell\u2019s starting attack\u2014John Piatelli \u201921, BS \u201922, Kirst, and Mikey Long \u201923, BS \u201925\u2014scored an unassisted goal, and Cornell led 3-1. The goal by Kirst gave him 51 on the season and was his 73rd point, breaking the school record for points by a freshman set by Jeff Teat \u201920, BS \u201921, in 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Big Red extended the lead to 8-3 at halftime, at which point dangerous thunderstorms swept into the area, accompanied by 40-mph winds and hail. Resuming play was impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"The Cornell Big Red men\u2019s lacrosse team competes against Rutgers on Saturday, May 28, 2022 in East Hartford, CT during the NCAA National Semifinals. Fans are holding up signs that say &quot;Rock the Barn,&quot; CJ is the favorite child #15,&quot; and LGR&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-71492\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-608x342.jpg 608w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-304x171.jpg 304w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-152x85.jpg 152w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-1184x666.jpg 1184w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-592x333.jpg 592w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-296x166.jpg 296w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-1264x711.jpg 1264w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-632x356.jpg 632w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-316x178.jpg 316w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-400x225.jpg 400w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A-100x56.jpg 100w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0621-A.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Signs in the crowd included a joking reference to the brothers on opposing teams.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Fans were told, over the loudspeaker and on video boards, to exit the stadium. Cornell and Rutgers remained in their locker rooms. Princeton and Maryland, en route to the stadium for the second semifinal, headed back to their hotels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The bad weather caused thousands of homes in Connecticut to lose power. Amtrak faced hours of delays after the electrical storms damaged its tracks near New Haven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote alignwide is-style-solid-color\"><blockquote><p>The Big Red extended the lead to 8-3 at halftime, at which point dangerous thunderstorms swept into the area, accompanied by 40-mph winds and hail. Resuming play was impossible.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In the Cornell locker room, the coaches and players watched film, stayed hydrated, and examined changes and tweaks for the second half. Howley told the team to trust in its training, trust in each other, and let instinct guide them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After a delay of three hours and 35 minutes, Cornell and Rutgers resumed their game. Early in the third quarter, Kelleher scored an unassisted goal, then ran into a Rutgers defenseman with such force he bent that stick as well; the goal gave the Big Red a 10-4 lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"The Cornell Big Red men\u2019s lacrosse team competes against Rutgers on Saturday, May 28, 2022 in East Hartford, CT during the NCAA National Semifinals.\" class=\"wp-image-71494\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-608x342.jpg 608w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-304x171.jpg 304w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-152x85.jpg 152w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-1184x666.jpg 1184w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-592x333.jpg 592w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-296x166.jpg 296w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-1264x711.jpg 1264w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-632x356.jpg 632w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-316x178.jpg 316w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-400x225.jpg 400w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A-100x56.jpg 100w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/052822_MLAX_vs_Rutgers_0775-A.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hugh Kelleher \u201924, BA \u201925, faces a Scarlet Knight.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Later in the quarter, a photographer from <em>Lacrosse Magazine<\/em> snapped a photo of Colin Kirst leading a clearing attempt amid heavy pressure from CJ. Both brothers had huge smiles. (And this was <em>after<\/em> the three-plus-hour delay.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fourth quarter was largely anticlimactic. Cornell won, 17-10, thanks to five goals from Piatelli, four from Long, and three from Kirst and Kelleher. Adler won his matchup as well, holding Scott to one goal and two assists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the game ended, the first player to commiserate with Colin Kirst was CJ, giving him a handshake and a hug as a startled Rutgers defender, intending to do the same, took a step backward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left has-cornell-neutral-1-background-color has-background\"><em>Excerpted from <\/em>The Long Red Line: Cornell Lacrosse and the Forty-Eight-Year Quest for Glory, <em>by Christian Swezey, a Three Hills book published by Cornell University Press. Copyright \u00a9 2026 by Cornell University. Included by permission of the publisher.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>(All Rutgers game images by Eldon Lindsay \/ Cornell Athletics.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Published May 18, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In an excerpt, a 2022 postseason game\u2014with a Cornell player\u2019s brother on the opposing team\u2014presages the triumphs to come<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":71495,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"alumni_hub_syml_posts":[52528,35943,6722],"footnotes":""},"categories":[227],"tags":[],"cornell_year_post":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-69983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campus-beyond"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Book Chronicles the Resurgence of Big Red Men\u2019s Lacrosse - 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