This past Saturday, No. 18 Princeton women’s lacrosse (0–1 overall, 0–0 Ivy League) dropped their opening game of the season to the No. 8 Virginia Cavaliers (2–0, 0–0 Atlantic Coast Conference) in a highly contested top–20 matchup, falling 13–11. Despite the loss, the Tigers found positives from the game.
“I can recognize that that was hands down the best we’ve looked,” junior midfielder Abby Roberts wrote to The Daily Princetonian after the game. “I am really really excited for what lies ahead … but even with that hope it’s not exactly sunshine and rainbows after any loss.”
After earning the opening draw of the game, the Tigers turned the ball over in their offensive third. Capitalizing off of their earned possession, the Cavaliers broke the ice early, scoring off of the turnover to lead 1–0.
Virginia’s momentum continued over the course of the next minute, adding a pair of goals from a free position shot and determined drive in from the midfield. Early in the match, the Cavaliers led 3–0.
The Tigers did not stay scoreless for long, though. After getting their first defensive stop of the game, the team began to possess the ball and force turnovers in the middle of the field. Junior attacker Haven Dora scored Princeton’s debut goal of the season off of a free position shot, now trailing 3–1.
Princeton successfully continued their pursuit. Two minutes later, the Tigers netted another goal, courtesy of junior midfielder Maggie Molnar. Later, a pass from Dora from behind the net to senior attacker McKenzie Blake tied the game at 3–3 on a behind-the-back shot.
Virginia opened the second quarter just as they did the first, scoring in the opening minute and retaking the lead. After a scoreless six minutes, the Cavaliers tallied on another goal off of a slinging pass toward the top of the crease to oncoming attacker Madison Alaimo.
With two minutes left in the period and a deteriorating shot clock, Blake heaved a shot toward the goal that was then blocked by the Virginia goalkeeper Mel Josephson. In an attempt to scoop the ball into her glove, Josephson knocked the ball past the goal line, cutting the Princeton deficit in half.
Less than a minute later, Blake worked her magic once again, earning her third goal of the game after controlling a rebound off of a deflected free-position shot. Going into halftime, the Tigers and Cavaliers were tied at five goals apiece.
Entering the second half, the Tigers lost the opening draw control, a theme for the entire game. The Cavaliers settled in for an extended offensive possession before attacker Madison Alaimo scored on a strong move from the X position, which is behind the net.
A Virginia penalty one minute later, committed against junior midfielder Abby Roberts on a clear, gave the Tigers an opportunity to even the score. After a shot and a recovered ground ball, Blake drew a free position shot and converted.
Blake, a preseason honorable All-American and member of the Tewaaraton Award watch list, began to take over the game in the third quarter. She added two more goals in the next four minutes, which, along with a goal from senior attacker Nina Montes, gave the home team a three goal lead with seven minutes remaining in the quarter.
The Cavaliers dominance of draw controls began to hit the Tigers hard later in the third quarter. Three consecutive wins by midfielder Kate Galica of Virginia led to three straight goals, evening the contest at 9–9 heading into the fourth.
“The draws were killer,” Roberts wrote to the ‘Prince’. “As someone who plays on the circle I definitely feel the pressure and antsy-ness of the team to win the draw and limit the other teams possessions, but some days there’s gonna be a stat you’re going to lose and unfortunately for us that was draw.”
Head Coach Jenn Cook made a fruitful substitution at the draw control, installing first-year midfielder Maggie Bacigalupo. Bacigalupo, in her first career game, stymied the dominant Galica initially — winning critical possessions for the Tigers.
A Bacigalupo draw control to open the fourth quarter gave the Tigers a chance to retake the lead, and the dynamic duo of Dora and Blake did not disappoint. Blake dished to Dora, then cut in front of the net before receiving a Dora pass and dumping it into the back of the net.
Blake finished with an astonishing six goals on the day.
“McKenzie is one of the most, if not the most, knowledgeable and skilled lacrosse players I’ve ever been teammates with,” Roberts said to the ‘Prince.’ “Her vision on the field is incredible. She can see a play develop seven steps before it happens.”
Dora, who led the Tigers with 40 assists last year, struck again from the X position under a minute later. She found sophomore attacker Meg Morrisroe slashing towards the crease for a Tiger goal, extending the lead to two.
The Tigers offense found success working the ball around the goal and probing the Cavaliers defense, using their experience as an attacking unit filled with juniors and seniors.
“Our team plays with incredible energy, chemistry, and love for each other, and we’re looking to build on that this weekend while fine-tuning the smaller details,” junior attacker Jami MacDonald — who played for the Canadian national team at the U20 World Championships last year — wrote to the ‘Prince.’
Galica regained her draw control dominance for the rest of the fourth quarter, however, winning four in a row. The Cavaliers took advantage of the offensive possessions, scoring four unanswered to end the game.
The Tigers continue their tough non-conference schedule this weekend at home against No. 13 Loyola (Maryland) on Sunday at noon. They look to turn the positives from this loss into their first win of the season.
“Saturday’s game gave us a great starting point, and while we knew there would be areas to improve — the positives showed that we’re in a strong position both offensively and defensively moving forward,” MacDonald told the ‘Prince’.
Harrison Blank is a head Sports editor for the ‘Prince.’
Lily Pampolina is an associate Sports editor for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com
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