Late goal by Terps' Adams sinks women's lacrosse, 7-6

For 58 minutes, the women's lacrosse team's defense followed its plan perfectly.

Princeton slowed down the pace of play against top-ranked Maryland (16-0) and held two-time National Player of the Year Jen Adams to a single goal.

Then Adams showed why she is possibly the best lacrosse player in the world.

With the score tied, 6-6, and one minute, 31 seconds left on the clock, Adams spun towards the center of the field and fired toward freshman goalie Meghan McInnes.

As the ball flew over McInnes' shoulder, the freshman did not hear the sound of the net being rustled that usually accompanies a goal — instead there was a clang as the ball bounced off the crossbar.

But as McInnes turned she saw what could only be described a shooter's bounce. Adams' shot was trickling over the line as the freshman looked on helplessly.

Princeton (11-3, 5-1 Ivy League) would go on to turn over the ball on the ensuing faceoff and the clock would run out with the Terrapins ahead, 7-6.

After going into the locker room tied at three, the Tigers continued to play "stall ball" in the second half, holding the ball and trying to keep the Terrapins' offense — one of the most potent in the nation — from exploding in the same way that it did in last season's national championship game.

In that game, Adams rallied for a tournament record 10 points on five goals and five assists as the Terrapins won, 16-8. Last night, however, sophomore defender Rachel Becker stifled Adams, holding her to only two goals — a free position shot early in the contest and the game-winner with 91 seconds remaining on an outstanding individual effort by the Maryland star.

Adams spoiled what was an impressive second-half comeback by the Tigers. After Terrapin defender Tori Wellington fired a low shot past McInnes on a free position play with under 15 minutes left in the game to put Maryland up, 6-4, head coach Chris Sailer called time out and rallied the troops.

Whatever Sailer said to the Tigers, it worked, as Princeton came out and seized momentum away from Maryland. Junior attack Lauren Simone took a pass from senior midfielder Julie Shaner and snapped a quick shot that flew over the shoulder of Maryland keeper Alexis Venechanos.

While the shot seemed to graze the inside of the net from Simone's angle, the referee claimed the shot missed the goal, but awarded possession back to the Tigers on the restart.

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Simone would not miss again. She quickly got the ball back and put it in the back of the net to get the Tigers to within one with under eight minutes remaining.

Fellow junior attack Kim Smith would then tie up the score with an outstanding individual effort — beating her defender and putting a shot past Venechanos to tie the score with 2:28 remaining.

Smith finished with a game-high three goals, while Simone had two for Princeton. The Tigers are on a two-game losing streak after dropping a league game to Dartmouth on Saturday in Hanover, N.H.

Princeton has had trouble with Maryland in the past, as the Tigers dropped their tenth-straight contest to Maryland, a streak that dates back to the 1995 season. The last time the Tigers were able to top the Terrapins was in the 1994 NCAA Tournament, when Princeton avenged a 12-10 loss earlier in the season — the Tigers' only loss that year — to defeat Maryland, 10-7, in the finals.

While Princeton has been unable to break through the wall and beat the Terrapins in recent years, the Tigers' effort last night bodes well for a possible meeting in the NCAA Tournament.

Princeton finishes its Ivy season Saturday afternoon against Brown at 1952 Stadium at 3 p.m. with a share of the Ivy League title at stake.