Tigers close season at Maryland

For twelve straight years, at least one of the women's lacrosse powerhouses of Maryland and Princeton has played in the NCAA final. In an impressive stretch from 1994-2003, the Terrapins and the Tigers let no other team claim the national championship. When they meet on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in College Park, Md., it is sure to be a classic matchup between the two dominant squads.

Both No. 4 Princeton (12-3 overall, 6-1 Ivy League) and No. 8 Maryland (10-5) have faced setbacks this year, and neither was able to capture its conference championship. The Tigers suffered a loss to No. 2 Dartmouth to place second in the Ivy League, and the Terrapins lost to No. 7 Virginia in an Atlantic Coast Conference tournament semifinal Friday. Still, both are likely to gain berths to the NCAA tournament and will have the experience and motivation to challenge to whoever they face.

Both teams are led by a talented core of nationally recognized seniors. Maryland midfielder Acacia Walker was named a Tewaaraton nominee, as were Princeton senior attack Lindsey Biles and senior midfielder Elizabeth Pillion. Pillion has not played since the game against Dartmouth, when she suffered an injury, but her teammates have stepped up in her absence to replace her scoring output. Senior attack Ingrid Goldberg was recently named the Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week for her eight-point performance in two games last week.

The Tigers have also received scoring from unexpected players, as more Princeton players have broken into the rotation. Junior attack Olachi Opara led all scorers against Delaware with a career-high four goals. Against Brown, sophomore midfielder Alex Gangler scored four goals, including her first of the season. Sophomore midfielder Christine Dobrosky started against Brown and Delaware and has been a consistent threat for the Tigers offensively over the past few games.

Walker leads the Terrapins with 32 goals on the season, but the Maryland offense is evenly spread out, with six players topping the 20-goal mark. Attack Delia Cox has notched 31 goals, and midfielder Kelly Kasper was impressive in the Virginia loss, tallying three goals and an assist. For her efforts, she was named to the ACC all-tournament team. Maryland's defense is strengthened by All-American Greta Sommers, who has caused 21 turnovers this season.

The Terrapins are coming off a loss to Virginia, their second of the season, while Princeton has simply dominated since its loss to Dartmouth. Delaware and Brown experienced the Tigers' wrath, as each was easily demolished. Princeton outscored its opponents by an average of 12.5 goals last week. The defense has also stepped up, limiting its opponents' scoring opportunities by dictating play. Against Brown, the Tigers allowed just four shots in the entire first period.

Maryland has also shown its ability to dominate this season. Prior to the Virginia game, the Terps topped No. 13 Syracuse, 20-4, and North Carolina, 14-7. If Maryland rebounds like the Tigers did after their loss, and Princeton continues to play at the top of its game, the showdown should be a thriller. If it comes to overtime again, Princeton will have the advantage in experience. Maryland has had just one overtime contest this season, while the Tigers were forced to play extended time on three occasions earlier this spring.

There is more than pride and tradition at stake for both teams, since the NCAA seedings will soon be released. A win for either team is crucial to lock a good bid to the tournament, where both teams will look to continue the traditional Maryland-Princeton domination.