Women’s lacrosse finishes regular season play with 17–13 victory against Harvard

Women’s lacrosse (7–8 overall, 4–3 Ivy League) finished their regular season play with a victory over the Harvard Crimson (8–6, 4–3). After a tight first half, the Tigers were able to pull away in the third quarter and hold their lead to send the Crimson back to Cambridge with a 17–13 loss.

The matchup was crucial for the Tigers. With both their senior day game and their Ivy Playoffs seed on the line, the Tigers needed to win by four or more goals to secure the third seed in the upcoming Ivy League tournament.

First-year midfielder Haven Dora opened scoring up for the Tigers, netting a goal within the first minute of play. Princeton pounced during the opening of the game with four unanswered goals within the first five minutes. Sophomore midfielder Sophie Whiteway scored one of the goals, as she drove through the middle after receiving an excellent pass from junior attacker Grace Tauckus.

Sophomore attacker Mackenzie Blake, who has been a powerhouse for the Tigers all season, sent in another for the Tigers. Closing out the first quarter goals for Princeton was senior attacker Kate Mulham, who fired one in for the Tigers after a free position.

The Crimson answered with five goals in the first quarter, but the Tigers were able to keep calm on defense. First-year goalie Amelia Hughes had 14 total saves throughout the game.To add on to the Tigers’ impressive play, Whiteway made it to No. 11 all time in draw controls for the Tigers, crossing the 100-mark against the Crimson.

The Tigers were down by one heading into the second, but spent the rest of the first half battling against Harvard to take the lead. After one more goal from the Crimson, Dora took it back for the Tigers and put in another right outside the crease. With six minutes left in the second quarter, Mulham miraculously found Tackus between the Harvard defense to tie it up. The final goal of the first half for the Tigers was from junior midfielder Samantha DeVito, after a free position.

Both teams were eager for a win as they headed into the second half tied 7–7. For the go-ahead-goal, a pass from Dora bounced off the stick of Tauckus, landed with Blake, and somehow made it into the net for the Tigers. From there, the Tigers never relinquished the lead again to the Crimson.

Mulham and Tauckus both had two more goals each for the Tigers in the third. A stellar breakaway by Tauckus found Blake in a perfect scoring position for Princeton, giving them another. Dora closed the quarter with her third goal of the game, sending the Tigers into the final quarter up by four.

Dora was once again able to connect with Tauckus, snaking another past the Harvard goalie. Blake and Whiteway both had another, as the Tigers finished the game with 17 goals.

Looking to build off of their momentum, Princeton will head to the Ivy League tournament next weekend at the University of Pennsylvania to face the No. 2 seeded Yale Bulldogs (10–5, 4–3) at 4 p.m. on May 5.

Evelyn Walsh is a staff writer for the Sports section at the ‘Prince.’

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