Women's lax avenges loss, ties record with 20th straight win

The Tigers do not forget losses, nor do they forgive those lucky enough to inflict such defeat. As women's lacrosse endeavored to equal the winning streak established during the final 19 games of the 2002 season and the first game of 2003, that goal of avenging a loss gave the team additional impetus.

Not only was Princeton (11-0 overall, 3-0 Ivy League) facing its Ivy League rival, Yale, but the Tigers' opponent was also the last team to emerge victorious against them. In the end, the Bulldogs (7-4, 2-2) stood no chance against the motivated Princeton players who cruised to the team's record-tying 20th straight victory dating back to last April, winning 13-4.

In retrospect, the Tigers had all the scoring they would need for the win after just over seven minutes of play in the first half. In those first feverishly-paced minutes, however, no one would have predicted that the game would soon settle down. Yale jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the first four minutes, courtesy of two free-position shots. After the Bulldogs' second goal, the Tigers won the draw and started a fastbreak. Junior attack Lindsey Biles had a chance to go to net but unselfishly passed to junior midfielder Elizabeth Pillion who was streaking down the right side of the field. Pillion slipped the ball past Yale goalie Lonnie Sarnell's left side to knot the score at two. Princeton scored the next three goals to claim a lead they would never relinquish.

After the teams combined for eight goals in the first 10 minutes, the style of play became much more deliberate.

"We wanted to control the ball a lot more," Biles said. "We relied on the fastbreak a lot in the beginning, but we've been really working on settled attacks so we were able to switch to that and get a flow going."

Following a 16-minute lull in which only one goal, a free-position shot by Biles, was scored, senior attack Theresa Sherry capitalized twice in less than a minute. With 4 minutes, 32 seconds left in the half, Sherry cut around from behind the net, switched to her non-dominant hand and slipped the ball past Sarnell on the wraparound. She then collected a pass from freshman midfielder Christine Dobrosky directly in front of the net and scored up high. The Tigers entered the locker-room at halftime with a comfortable 8-3 lead.

Although Yale scored early in the second half, Princeton held the Bulldogs scoreless for the game's final 26 minutes. Biles picked up her game-leading fourth goal with 16 minutes remaining in the game. After cutting to her right, she used a quick stutter-step to lose her defender before reversing to the left. Her rocket shot slipped past Sarnell before she could move her stick to cover her exposed left flank.

Pillion collected the Tigers' final two goals and contributed three on the day. She joins Biles and Sherry, who also tallied three, as a 20-goal scorer for the year.

For Princeton, this match was one of its best all-around games. Junior goaltender Sarah Kolodner recorded a memorable performance, picking up 13 saves, only one shy of her career high. Seven of those saves came in the second half when the Tigers held Yale to only one goal.

"Oh she's incredible," Biles said. "If it ever gets to the defense, which, I mean, it rarely does, she's always there to stop it. She's such a clutch player."

Offensively, Princeton capitalized on 13 of its 22 shots. The team's ball movement and passing were crisp and direct, and the players remained patient in their offensive zone until an opening presented itself.

"We really played together today," Biles said. "We've been working in the last couple of practices on setting each other up and helping each other. And I think almost half of our goals were assisted today, so we were pretty good in terms of team play."

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With each win, the Tigers place themselves closer to their ultimate goal of three-peating as national champions. Although the team continues its season-long approach of taking one game at a time, Princeton's next game holds the promise of yet another accolade — the team's longest winning streak is well within their grasp.