Women's lacrosse battles Ivy League co-leader Yale in showdown for lead

Coming off an upset of defending Ivy League champion Dartmouth March 24, the Yale women's lacrosse team has shot up in the national rankings and could pose as the greatest threat to No. 3 Princeton (7-1 overall, 2-0 Ivy League) for the league championship. The Tigers take on the Elis tomorrow at 2 p.m. in New Haven, Conn.

As the only two remaining undefeated teams in the Ivy League, this game will determine the league leader. Yale has made a complete comeback as a program, including a 13-7 victory over perennial Ivy power Dartmouth, and this is one of the first times that is has been a league leader in several years.

Labeled as the school's most talented squad in recent memory by Yale head coach Amanda O'Leary, the team has a strong mix of veterans and aggressive underclassmen. That mix of players has propelled the Elis to an 8-0 record this season, including three wins within the Ivies.

Mostly carried by its high scoring attack, Yale depends on senior Clara Gillespie, sophomore Sarah Queener and freshman Miles Whitman for its offense. Whitman leads the team in both points and goals, with 19 goals on the season. But the Elis also have size over Princeton, as the team hopes to use its six foot, one inch freshman, Kate Riva, to move through the Princeton defense.

But Princeton cannot expect an easier time on its own attack, as junior Megan Strenski, a pre-season All-America, anchors the Yale defense. Strenski was also honored for her tenacious defense by earning All-Ivy honors both her freshman and sophomore years. Strenski will certainly mark Princeton's top attack player. With an all-upperclassmen defense, the Elis will have a lot of experience to stop the potent Princeton attack.

While Strenski will be able to mark one of Princeton's high scorers, balance has been a key part of the Tiger attack this season and the Elis will have to play strong team defense to shut down all of Princeton's scoring threats.

Yale began the season unranked and unheralded, but the team has bolted to No. 8 in the national rankings and has earned the respect of players and coaches from around the country.

Princeton will not be intimidated, however, by Yale's surge to the top of the national rankings. After a stunning defeat at the hands of Loyola in early March, the Tigers have found their groove and are starting to play their best lacrosse thus far this season.

Even with experience for Yale, the Princeton attack is versatile enough to find the gaps in the Eli defense, and is talented enough to exploit the Yale holes and break the game open quickly.

Princeton's fierce defense is starting to get national recognition, as freshman goalie Meghan McInnes was just named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week. McInnes is beginning to gain experience and turn into one of the top goaltenders in the country after starting the season with a couple of timid performances.Propelled by an exciting 9-6 win over Delaware Wednesday night, the Tigers will be looking to carry the momentum from the win into Saturday's showdown at Yale.

The Elis will have home-field advantage as the game will be at Yale tomorrow, but the Tigers are accustomed to traveling, and with so many veterans on the team, a trip to Connecticut seems normal.

Junior attack Kim Smith, who had a strong game with four goals —including the game winner — against Delaware, is prepared for the game that might decide who gets the Ivy League's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

"Coming into Saturday Yale has had some big wins and has really established themselves as a team," Smith said. "They will be looking to knock us off so it is critical we come at them hard and focus on playing up to our potential."