Women’s lacrosse wins Ivy League, earning automatic bid to NCAA Tournament

The women’s lacrosse team defeated Columbia and Penn in the Ivy League Tournament this Friday and Sunday to claim an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship and their fourth Ivy League Championship. The No. 1 Tigers started the first round of the tournament with a strong performance against the Lions, beating Columbia 17–7. The 10-point margin of victory was the largest in the Ivy League Tournament. Princeton then advanced to face the Quakers, edging past Penn 13–10 to claim the tournament title.

In a repeat of its last conference game, Princeton faced a familiar foe in the Lions. The Tigers’ win over Columbia helped them earn the regular season Ivy League title. This time, the Princeton team was looking for a trip to the finals of the Ivy League Tournament.

Princeton opened the match with a strong start, taking a commanding 10-point lead, including one run of three goals in 46 seconds. The Tigers’ remarkable offense was complemented by an impressive defense that kept the Lions scoreless until there was 1:20 remaining in the first half. The second half was more balanced, with both teams trading blows. A late Columbia 5–2 rally would cut the deficit to seven, but the Tigers were never really threatened as they claimed an important win in the postseason. Princeton has yet to be defeated by Columbia in their face-to-face matchups.

With the win, Princeton was scheduled to face Penn in the final of the Tournament. The Tigers had defeated the Quakers by a record margin earlier in the season. That had been a crucial game as Princeton’s title hopes were on the line. Now the two teams faced each other again, with a coveted NCAA Championship spot at risk.

Once again, the Tigers jumped to a strong start going up 2–0. Penn quickly responded with two goals of their own. The rest of the game proved to be a dogfight as the game was tied on seven separate occasions. Every time the Princeton side would try and build a lead, Penn would find a way to claw back. However, despite Penn’s rallying, the Tiger defense never allowed the Quakers to take the lead. Princeton would end the first half up one point, 7–6.

The Princeton team would finally separate themselves from Penn when sophomore attacker Tess D’Orsi helped Princeton grab its first two-goal lead in the second half with a free-position goal at 7:14. She would score four goals and dish one assist, netting her 100th career point in the game.

Junior attacker Elizabeth George, senior midfielder Ellie McNulty, D’Orsi, freshman defender Mary Murphy, and freshman attacker Kyla Sears were all named to the all-tournament team. George earned the distinction of Most Outstanding Player, as she scored six goals and won 16 draw controls during the tournament.

The Tigers will have plenty to be proud of as they look back on the season. Despite growing pains early on with a young squad, the Princeton team managed to persevere and find its rhythm. Now, with an Ivy League title and tournament win under its belt, the team looks forward to the challenges of the NCAA Championship.