Tigers take on Terps in crucial match

Sometimes, things just have to be done the hard way. With just two games left in its regular season, the No. 13 women's lacrosse team (9-5 overall, 5-2 Ivy League) travels south today to face No. 5 Maryland (14-3) in what will be a crucial match for the Tigers as they vie for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Though Princeton has another difficult game just four days from now against No. 8 Georgetown (10-7) at Class of 1952 Stadium, the Hoyas will hardly be on the minds of the Tigers today as they battle it out against the perennial title contenders in College Park, Md.

"We're very aware of how tough the game will be, but we also know that a victory is ripe for the taking," senior attack Kathleen Miller said. "A loss on Wednesday does not mean that it's all over, but it definitely makes it more difficult for us to advance on to the NCAA Tournament."

Princeton was ranked second nationally in the preseason polls conducted in late February. Yet despite playing well for most of the season, untimely mistakes in critical moments have cost the Tigers dearly, and they now find themselves many rungs down the ladder of postseason consideration. Princeton failed to retain the automatic NCAA berth given to the Ivy League champion, wrapping up the conference season in third place.

The situation could be better, but the Tigers have managed to make the best of it lately, winning their final two Ivy games against Columbia and Brown. This past weekend, Princeton beat the Lions 19-8 on Friday before blowing out the Bears 16-2 on Saturday.

Sophomore midfielder Holly McGarvie in particular has come alive of late, providing critical energy and scoring a total of eight goals against Columbia and Brown. Miller also had a good weekend, moving into sixth place on the Tigers' all-time scoring list with 194 points following her four points against the Bears.

Such numbers are impressive, but Princeton will have to play at its best to conquer the Terrapins, who have claimed eight NCAA titles in the last 15 years. The Tigers have been on the wrong end of two of those eight triumphs, as Princeton bowed out against Maryland in the 1995 and 2000 national championships.

The Terrapins boast an immaculate 7-0 home record this season. On defense, the Tigers have held opponents to just over eight goals per game, while their Terrapin counterparts have been slightly more generous, allowing over 10 goals per game. Maryland's offense, though, has fired 37 shots per game, averaging nearly 15 goals a contest — outdoing the Tigers' rates of 30 shots and 13 goals per game.

"I watched [Maryland] dominate teams year in and year out as a little kid," Miller said. "I've played with a lot of their current players on U.S. [national] teams ... they are a very impressive bunch of athletes. With that said, I think what I had to realize freshman year was that the Princeton team was, and still is, an equally impressive group with just as talented athletes."

The Tigers will emphasize controlling the tempo and keeping possession, since the Terrapins' attacking duo of Krista Pellizzi and Dana Dobbie have combined for a massive total of 124 points this season.

"Maryland is a really, really quick team with a great fast break and impressive stick skills," junior midfielder Katie Lewis-Lamonica said. "They play a great team attack and give you a lot of bumps on the defensive end."

The game is sure to be a difficult test, and Princeton will need to be on its toes to deny cuts in transition and make big stops. Chances to score may not appear too often, but when they do, the Tigers should be ready for them.