Women's lacrosse defeats Villanova 15–6, prepares for face-off against Dartmouth

Princeton women’s lacrosse (6–3, 1–1 Ivy) had a successful night on Tuesday against Villanova (7–5, 1–0) before heading into Ivy games, winning 15–6. Villanova head coach and Princeton lacrosse alumna Julie Young ’01 played for current Princeton head coach Chris Sailer during her time at Princeton. Sailer congratulated her former player for her accomplishments with the Villanova Wildcats.

“I think she has a tough team and they definitely gave us a lot of handles, especially in that first half. It was a close game,” Sailer said. “I’m proud of her and what she’s done with her Villanova group.”

The Tigers got off with a quick start with a goal from both senior midfielder Kathryn Hallett and one from senior attacker Elizabeth George. The two big plays from Hallett and George set Princeton up for success for the rest of the game. With nine total shots on goal in the first half, the Tigers were able to make away with six, ending the first half with a three-goal lead over the Wildcats. Carrying that momentum through the second half and not letting Villanova take over at any point, Princeton scored another nine points to solidify the win.

Leading the Tigers was sophomore attacker Kyla Sears with four goals and two assists, followed by George with five goals. Hallett contributed with two goals and one assist, and junior attacker Tess D’Orsi added one goal and two assists. Sophomore goalie Sam Fish also set a personal record, making 13 saves out of the 19 shots on goal.

“I thought Sam had a great day,” Sailer praised. “She was patient, she was poised, and her eyes were really focused on the ball. She did a phenomenal job.”

Sailer also emphasized the strong plays made by George and Sears during the game.

“George drives hard to cage and is a powerful kid. She’s a great dodger and has good placements in her shots,” Sailer said. “Kyla has some nice moves and nice feeds. She’s a great creator and a great finisher for us.”

The Tigers will travel to New Hampshire this Saturday to face Dartmouth at 1 p.m. for their third Ivy game of the season.

“It’s good to get a win under our belt before we head up to Dartmouth. They beat us last year and it’s going to be a stiff competition this weekend,” Sailer recounts. “So getting this game and putting a lot of points on the board and having a nice defensive effort is really going to be helpful for us as we get ready for that next challenge.”