ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell women's lacrosse team will have an exciting fall season to start piecing together a new-look team over the next two weekends. The Big Red will play NCAA semifinalist Syracuse at home on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 10 a.m. at Schoellkopf Field, as well as playing four games against national teams at the U.S. Lacrosse Stars and Stripes Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 11 in Syracuse. Cornell will face both split squads of the U.S. national team, as well as international teams Scotland and the Haudenosaunee Nation.

With the loss of its top three scorers and a total of six starters to graduation, the Big Red and head coach Jenny Graap will take its first step toward building for the spring. With a roster that features 13 freshmen and 21 total underclassmen, Cornell will have plenty of competition for playing time a year after going 10-6 (5-2 Ivy). The Big Red closed out the season with a 10-6 record and placed second in the Ivy League with a 5-2 record. Graap led her team to four wins over teams that were ranked at some point during the season. Cornell returns six starters and 12 letter winners for the upcoming 2009 season. Included among the returners are 30-point scorers Libby Johnson and Kathryn Dewey, as well as All-America candidate Kelly Hansen on defense. Junior Kristen Reese returns in goal and will be surrounded by experienced defenders Tissy O'Connor and Deirdre Lafferty.

The Big Red will have a busy weekend at the Stars and Stripes Tournament, playing the first game of the tournament when it faces Scotland on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. Cornell will be right back at it at 10 a.m. when it faces the U.S. national team, then gets a break before playing the Haudenosaunee Nation squad at 1 p.m. Cornell will close Saturday with a 2:30 p.m. contest against the second split squad U.S. national team. The Stars and Stripes weekend will also feature a US Lacrosse coaching education clinic and a girls' lacrosse clinic (grades 3-12).

Saturday, October 4
10:00 a.m. - Cornell University vs. Syracuse University (at Schoellkopf Field)

Stars and Stripes Weekend Schedule
Saturday, October 11 - International Teams vs. College Teams*
8:30 a.m. - Scotland vs. Cornell University
8:30 a.m. - Haudenausaunee vs. University of Vermont
10:00 a.m. - USA 2 vs. Cornell University
10:00 a.m. - Haudenausaunee vs. Syracuse University
11:30 a.m. - Scotland vs. Syracuse University
11:30 a.m. - USA 1 vs. University of Vermont
1:00 p.m. - USA 2 vs. University of Vermont
1:00 p.m. - Haudenausaunee vs. Cornell University
2:30 p.m. - USA 1 vs. Cornell University
2:30 p.m. - Scotland vs. University of Vermont
*Fields TBD

Feature Event in the Carrier Dome
4:00 p.m. - Girls' Lacrosse Clinic
6:00 p.m. - Team USA vs. Syracuse
8:00 p.m. - Autograph session to follow the game

Tickets for Saturday's 6:00 p.m. game, Team USA vs. Syracuse, are available in advance at local retailers for $8 (adults) and $5 (students and for children 12 and under). Ticket prices will be $10 and $5 if purchased at the gate. All other exhibition games on Saturday and Sunday are free.

Sunday, October 12 - International Teams Round-Robin*
8:30 a.m. - Scotland vs. USA 2
10:00 a.m. - Haudenausaunee vs. USA 1
11:30 a.m. - Haudenausanee vs. USA 2
1:00 p.m. - Scotland vs. USA 1
2:30 p.m. - Scotland vs. Haudenausanee
*All games played on Coyne Field