W. lacrosse falters in championship

Arguably the most dominant Princeton team in the spring, women's lacrosse (19-1 overall, 7-0 Ivy League) was showered with well-deserved honors throughout the season. Three team members were nominated for the Tewaaraton Award, lacrosse's preeminent individual honor, and Tiger standouts were regularly ranked among the top intercollegiate players in all statistical categories. Princeton maintained a vice-like grip on the number one ranking from the pre-season until the final week of play.

Overall team speed, adroit stick handling skills and depth of talent turned out to be a dangerous combination. The veteran squad engendered respect among its opponents. Unfortunately for the Tigers, all of their regular season accolades could not induce a third consecutive national title.

The regular season force that collected a perfect 16-0 record and a benchmark 28-game winning streak continued to roll decisively in the early rounds of the NCAA Tournament, courtesy of wins over Colgate, Dartmouth and Vanderbilt. The game against the Big Green in the second round provided the most drama, as Princeton needed an overtime goal to advance, 6-5. The Tigers' subsequent performance against Vanderbilt seemed to dispell any notion of Princeton weakness; the Tigers won by a comfortable 11-3 margin.

In the championship game, however, Princeton collided with a University of Virginia (18-3 overall) squad that was much improved from the team they had faced earlier in the season and defeated, 12-9. The Cavaliers' aggressive defense and constant double-teaming stifled the normally prolific Tiger offense. Despite outscoring its opponents by a total of 125 goals during the regular season, Princeton could not find an effective way to split the defense or get past Virginia's goalie, Andrea Pfeiffer, the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

The Cavaliers clinched their 10-4 victory with scoring runs at key times. After Tiger junior midfielder Elizabeth Pillion scored the opening goal of the game more than seven minutes into the first half, Virginia answered back with five consecutive goals, three of which came in a two-minute stretch, to take a 5-1 lead at halftime.

As the second half progressed, Princeton could not adapt its game and mount an effective comeback charge. The closest the Tigers came to reducing the deficit was a three goal differential. After the final whistle, the orange-attired team from the south had avenged its earlier loss and relegated Princeton to runners-up status.

Senior midfielder Theresa Sherry, Princeton's second leading scorer with 48 goals and 64 points, did not record a point for the first time this season. Junior attack Lindsey Biles, Princeton's leading scorer with 55 goals and 71 points, was held to just one goal. For the first time, an opponent figured out how to deny the Tiger attack from getting good shots.

Although it would be simplistic to allow this final loss to cloud the legacy of the 2004 Princeton team, it would be wrong to diminish its otherwise remarkable season. The Tigers left no doubt that they were the principal force in women's lacrosse as they dispatched traditional powerhouse rivals like Loyola, Duke, Georgetown, Dartmouth and Maryland with relative ease.

After the season ended, freshman midfielder Kathleen Miller was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year and joined six of her Tiger teammates on the U.S. Developmental Women's lacrosse team, making Princeton the most highly represented school on the squad. Sherry received the title of the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Midfield Player of the Year. She also earned first-team All-America status and All-Ivy first-team honors for the third consecutive year. Biles, Pillion and senior defender Katie Norbury were also named as first-team All-America members, while sophomore defender Lauren Vance garnered third-team honors.

With so many returning players and a new crop of fresh talent, the Tigers will be primed to show the women's lacrosse world which team is truly the alpha orange in the country.