One week ago, the No. 7 ranked Penn Quakers (8–2 overall, 2–1 Ivy League) marched into College Park, Maryland and upset then No. 1 ranked Maryland (10–2, 3–0 Big Ten).
Yesterday evening, the streaking Quakers looked to replicate that same performance at Sherrerd Field. However, amid the New Jersey downpours, junior attacker McKenzie Blake and the Tigers (6–3, 2–1) had other plans, extinguishing the red-hot Quakers with a resounding 14–9 upset to propel them to second place in the Ivy League, now tied with Penn and Harvard.
Wednesday’s home win was the Tiger’s third victory in a row. The Tigers battled the harsh elements early in the game, as both sides committed unforced errors caused by rain and struggled to keep possession in either offensive zone.
It was the Quakers who earned the first goal of the game when a midfield interception led to a quick drive up the field just two minutes into the first quarter. But the Tigers, who came into the game as the lower ranked team, were ready to fight back.
First-year midfielder Colette Quinn forced a turnover for the Tigers, giving them their first chance to tie the game. A pass then found junior attack McKenzie Blake, who drove through the Quaker defenders, finding the back of the net. Blake’s first of five goals broke down the Quaker defense, who before last night had allowed more than nine goals only once this season.
The goal was the hundredth of Blake’s career — and she still has her senior season ahead of her. Blake has received national recognition this season for her play. Last week, she was named to the Tewaaraton Award watchlist — an honor given to the nation's top collegiate lacrosse player every year — and was selected as an Inside Lacrosse Midseason All-American.
The Quakers were not ready to let up yet, following Blake’s goal with two of their own in the next three minutes. But Princeton proved capable of capitalizing on every Penn mistake. Halfway through the first quarter, the Princeton defense made an impressive stop in front of the crease. The team’s chemistry shined through in the next ten seconds when the ball made it from sophomore goalie Amelia Hughes all the way down the field to in front of the Quaker net. Senior attack Grace Tauckus received the ball surrounded by Penn defenders but was able to find a hole and sent a shot firing in across the net.
The next seven minutes saw a lot of back and forth from both teams, with ample time spent in front of each goal. Princeton had some impressive shots while Hughes shined in the net, but the Tigers could not capitalize until the end of the quarter when Blake blazed through the Quaker defense once again to tie the game 3–3 heading into the second quarter.
The Quakers took control early in the second much like they did in the first with two quick goals. In the fourth minute, the Tigers had seen enough and once again squashed Penn’s lead. An assist from sophomore attacker Haven Dora led to another rocket from Tauckus. 50 seconds later, Dora scored a goal of her own. She blew around the back of the net to find a hole in the Quaker zone defense, evening the score once again.
The two squads continued to go back and forth to close out the half. With one second left before the break, senior midfielder Kari Buonanno tied the game with a confident right-handed shot.
Buzzer Beaten!
— Princeton Women's Lax (@princetonwlax) April 4, 2024
Kari Buonanno strikes just before the end of the first half to tie the game, 7-7!@ILWomen | @USALacrosseMag | @NCAALAX pic.twitter.com/v9Abv6CiWu
After the half, the Tigers found momentum and kept it the entire game. An interception by MacDonald and a quick pass left Dora all alone in front of the Penn goal. An impressive shot was followed by an even more impressive finish as she celebrated with a slip-n-slide past the goal.
Next up for the Tigers was MacDonald, who cradled around the defense for a goal of her own. After a goal in response for the Quakers, Blake found another opening to bring the Tiger lead to three.
9:30 (4Q) Blake Takes Control!
— Princeton Women's Lax (@princetonwlax) April 4, 2024
What a rip from McKenzie Blake for a 12-9 Princeton lead over #7 Penn! pic.twitter.com/qLAFn2pRTZ
“What went well for us was that we played as a full unit. The defense stood strong and caused so many turnovers, offensively we were calm and making the smart plays, we scrapped hard on the draw, and the energy on the bench was electric,” Blake told The Daily Princetonian. “Overall everyone truly stepped up and played their role to the best of their ability.”
The final quarter was all orange. Tauckus scored within the first minute off the eight-meter line after a Penn fault. A Quaker goal was followed by two more from Blake, bringing her season total to 27. MacDonald had another look from the eight-meter, which she converted to close out the win for the Tigers. Their 14-goal total was the most the Quakers had allowed all season.
“This win is a good confidence boost for us going forward and to prove to other teams that we’re here to fight and compete,” Blake told the ‘Prince.’
Princeton will face the Columbia Lions (3–7 overall, 0–3 Ivy League) next in Manhattan at 1 p.m. on Saturday for their fourth conference game.
Evelyn Walsh is a senior Sports writer for the ‘Prince.’
Please direct any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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