As the old saying goes, once is a chance, twice is a coincidence, and three times is a habit.

On Saturday, the women’s lacrosse team will look to get in the habit of winning when it hosts No. 17 Cornell in the Bulldogs’ last home game of the season at 1 p.m. at Reese Stadium. For midfielders Jenn Warden ’09 and captain Taylor Fragapane ’09, the match against the Big Red will be their last donning blue and white.

The Bulldogs (5-8, 1-4 Ivy) started their first winning streak of the season when they won their second straight game — a decisive 18-4 routing of Wagner (4-10) — on Tuesday. But Saturday’s home game against the Big Red (7-5, 2-3) will not be as easy. For starters, the game marks the fifth time this season the Elis will have faced a ranked opponent. The Bulldogs have been the underdog in each of those games, and each time the goliath prevailed.

That, however, was in the past, and the Elis are now more confident than ever in their chances, players said. Such confidence stems from the success the Bulldogs had on both sides of the ball on Tuesday. Ten different players scored in the match, including four first-timers this season. Head coach Anne Phillips said while the makeup of starters has gotten younger — due to various injuries ailing the veterans — players have risen to the occasion. Building their confidence and championing the team’s system on offense has provided a solid foundation for the players, she said.

The Big Red come in with a record not to be underestimated. Cornell’s conference record, 2-3, can be misleading as the team has only fallen to the higher ranked Ivies. Moreover, Cornell has taken two of the last three contests between the two teams.

A win for Yale will not only continue the Bulldogs’ winning streak, but it will also further their quest to end the season at .500. They must win out their last three games, beginning with the Big Red.