Cornell men's lacrosse is headed to its first NCAA final since 2009.

The Big Red came out hot and continued the momentum out of a three-hour rain delay, pulling away for a 17-10 victory over Rutgers in the first men's semifinal. The trio of John Piatellia, Michael Long and C.J. Kirst combined for 12 goals and three assists to lead an efficient Cornell offense, and Gavin Adler led a tremendous defensive effort to seal the victory.

The first half was marked by a staunch defense and efficient ride from the Big Red. Cornell prevented easy shots from Rutgers and capitalized on six turnovers, two of which came on the ride and turned into easy goals from Michael Long.

Cornell scored three straight goals to take a 3-1 lead into the second quarter. Long cashed in on two goals in the second quarter, including one where he stripped Rutgers goalie Colin Kirst and dove to make it 8-3 before halftime. The weather rolled in soon after and both teams endured a delay of just over three hours before returning to the field around 4 p.m.

The Big Red carried the same momentum into the third quarter, scoring six straight goals in the third quarter after Rutgers opened the frame by cutting the deficit to four goals. Piatelli had a hat trick in the quarter that gave Cornell a comfortable lead. As Rutgers attempted to mount a comeback, the Big Red forced a few timely turnovers to maintain momentum. Kirst tallied a number of highlight-reel goals in the second half, helping Cornell lead by as many as 10 goals before the Scarlet Knights added three late goals.