Championship Monday – Cornell Makes Lacrosse History

Championship Monday at Gillette Stadium was electric. After two days of lacrosse action, this was the big one: Cornell vs. Maryland. The atmosphere was buzzing with fans in red and white, and the stakes couldn’t have been higher.

We arrived early to soak in the fan fest outside the stadium. Lacrosse has such a strong community vibe—college kids, alumni, youth players, and lifelong fans all mingling with the same passion. Our son, who plays youth lacrosse, was wide-eyed the whole time. Going through the fun stations outside at fan fest and hurrying inside to watch each team warm-up was great. Also, the sun was shining the entire morning and felt so good after the overcast and rainy skies of the previous games.

The match itself was a thriller. Cornell came out swinging, and you could tell they wanted it. Maryland fought hard, but Cornell’s energy was relentless and each time Maryland scored to claw their way back to within 1, Cornell seemed to score immediately following the next face off.

The final score? Cornell over Maryland 13-10, taking their first national championship since 1976, which was also against Maryland. This was a revenge game for Cornell as well after being defeated in the 2022 finals by Maryland with many of the same players on each team. The horn sounded, and the Cornell fans erupted. It was history in the making—and we had front-row seats to watch it happen.

What stuck with me most was watching the Cornell players storm the field, flinging their gear everywhere, and then piling on each other. It reminded us all why we love sports—because sometimes, dreams do come true.

For our family, it wasn’t just a game. It was the culmination of a weekend of bonding, walking history, eating like locals, and cheering till our voices were gone. Cornell took the trophy—but we all won.