The year was 1994. The women's lacrosse team was going into the NCAA final against a Maryland squad that had given the Tigers its only loss of the season. Princeton gained its revenge that day, beating the Terrapins, 10-7.
Since then, Maryland has won the last five national championships and beaten the Tigers seven consecutive times, including an 8-7 triple-overtime win last season. This rivalry will be renewed tonight at 1952 Stadium as the No. 3 Tigers take on the top-ranked Terrapins.
The Tigers (12-2 overall, 5-1 Ivy League) come into the game off a heartbreaking loss to Dartmouth Saturday in which they lost a three-goal lead in the final one minute, 57 seconds of the game. After its tough loss this past weekend, Princeton cannot afford to come out flat against a Maryland team that leads the country in scoring.
"A win to the team would be a great comeback from Saturday," senior captain and midfielder Hilary Maddox said. "People are feeling a bit down but ready to take their frustrations out."
The Terrapins are averaging 17.06 goals a game this year — over two more than their nearest competitor — and on average outscore their opponents by nine goals a game.
The leader of Maryland's offense is senior attack Jen Adams, whose 98 points on the season are 31 ahead of any other player in the country. The Terrapins also have potent weapons in attacks Allison Comito and Quinn Carney — who are both in the top 15 nationally in scoring.
'Team effort'
"In order to contain Jen, it will have to be a team effort, with strong doubles and early slides," Maddox said. "The thing about Maryland however, is that their whole attack is a threat. They have a number of players who have 30 points or more.
"We need to shut down everyone."
The Tiger defense will be put to a test against the high-powered Terrapin attack, and will have to forget the brief letdown at the end of the Dartmouth game that clouded what up to that point had been a dominant effort.
The Tigers had held a potent Dartmouth team to 10 goals in the first 58 minutes led by the heroics of senior goalie Laura Field. Field made several spectacular saves throughout the game — as she has all season.
"The good thing about our defense is when it is on it is hard to beat no matter who the attacker is," Maddox said.
The game is important for two distinct reasons. First, the Tigers want another win under their belts before the NCAA releases its tournament seedings. Second, Princeton also hopes to gain experience against a team it has met four of the last seven years in the Tournament.
The Tigers are also in need of some momentum going into the postseason after their second loss of the season.
"We lost to Loyola, our second game of the year, and it provided a spark for an 11 game winning streak," Maddox said. "We are looking for the same energy to come out of this loss."
While Princeton has a team capable of staying with the Terrapins tonight, the Tigers have to come out fast to keep the game close early.
"If we play 60 full minutes of Tiger lacrosse, this will definitely be a great game," Maddox said.
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