Women's Lacrosse: 2nd-half streak powers hosts over Georgetown

Last year, the Tigers squeaked out a win in double overtime to top the Hoyas 15-14. In another one-goal game, the Tigers again defeated Georgetown, this time with a final score of 12-11.

In the first four minutes of the game, Princeton never had the ball in their offensive half of the field and faced four shots from the Hoyas. But the Tigers soon took their turn possessing the ball on offense and scored three unanswered goals.

Junior midfielder Cassie Pyle drove from the top of the 12-meter arc between two defenders and shot low to give the Tigers their first goal of the game. The lead was extended when senior attacker Maisie Devine found senior attacker Lizzy Drumm cutting towards goal, and Drumm buried the ball in the top corner. Princeton’s third goal came off of a low free-position shot by sophomore attacker Jaci Gassaway. The Tigers held the Hoyas scoreless for the first 15 minutes of the game.

After calling a timeout, Georgetown regrouped and answered with a pair of goals to bring the game within one goal. The first score came on a bounce shot off of a free-position opportunity, while the second came off of a successful drive through the Princeton defenders. Princeton answered by causing a turnover in their defensive zone and pushing the ball up the field to sophomore midfielder Charlotte Davis, who ran the ball in for a goal.

Georgetown answered after Princeton was called for a penalty with just over six minutes remaining in the first half and tied the game two minutes later on another free-position shot. But the Tigers responded when senior attacker Kaitlyn Mauritz rolled the crease and beat her defender as she switched hands for her second goal of the season, putting the hosts ahead 5-4 heading into the locker room.

The Hoyas came out after halftime ready to compete, scoring five unanswered goals in five minutes and 14 seconds. Off the first whistle, Georgetown controlled the draw, brought it down to the offensive zone and was awarded a free position shot that attacker Dina Jackson converted to tie the game at five goals apiece. The Hoyas took their first lead of the game at 27:57 when a Tiger defender lost her footing and fell down, leaving a wide open lane and a look on goal for attacker Jacqueline Giles. Their next goal came off of a crease roll in which Giles beat her defender inside.

Princeton called a timeout to regroup but could not stop the Hoyas’ momentum, as a quick transition goal off the draw was followed by yet another score by Jackson. The run put Georgetown ahead by four goals, the largest margin of the game.

However, the Tigers then reeled off a seven-goal run of their own to reclaim the advantage. Gassaway and Pyle worked together for the first two scores. The first came off an assist from Gassaway to Pyle, who drove hard from the top and found net; Pyle returned the favor soon after, passing to Gassaway in the middle for another goal. Princeton earned a man-up advantage when Georgetown was awarded a yellow card, and Devine converted the free position with a hard, low shot. Princeton received another man-up advantage after another Georgetown yellow card, and Drumm converted the free-position shot to tie the game 9-9.

Davis notched her second goal of the game off a transition play to put the Tigers back in the lead. Pyle, the Tigers’ leading scorer in the game, netted her third with a successful drive from behind the cage. Junior attacker Barb Previ capped off the run with Princeton’s 12th and final goal of the game, splitting a double team and finishing low with less than four minutes remaining.

“I am pleased with our ability to handle momentum changes,” head coach Chris Sailer said. “We didn’t fold after their five-goal run. We kept calm and were able to change the momentum of the game and go on a run of our own. The girls believe in each other.”

Princeton began stalling by playing keep-away, but a turnover with 25 seconds remaining gave Georgetown a chance to close the gap. The Hoyas earned one goal with 7.2 seconds on the clock, won the final draw control and converted a last-second free position to bring the final tally to 12-11.

Senior goalie Erin Tochihara earned 10 saves. Junior defender Cathy Bachur helped lead the Tiger defense with four caused turnovers and two ground balls.

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“I am obviously very happy with the outcome of the game,” Sailer said. “The girls competed hard throughout.” Sailer pointed to the turnovers coming out of the defensive end as a result of Georgetown’s aggressive ride as one aspect of the game the team will look to improve on.

Princeton will travel to Cornell (3-5, 1-2) next Saturday for their second Ivy League match of the season. Last year, the Tigers fell 11-8 to the Big Red.

“Cornell is a good team and they have had a good start to their season, including a big win over Notre Dame,” Sailer said. “Our team will come ready to compete on Saturday. We are very focused on our league play.”