Women's Lacrosse: On Saturday, seniors look to shine vs. Brown

Nine seniors — attack Christine Casaceli, midfielder and tri-captain Katie Cox, defender Marine Graham, defender Caity Manzo, midfielder and tri-captain Holly McGarvie, defender and tri-captain Marie McKenna, attack Anne Murray, midfielder Kristin Schwab and attack Sarah Steele — will be playing their last regular season game at home.

“The seniors have contributed tremendously this season,” sophomore attack Lizzie Drumm said. “They play major roles both on and off the field and without a doubt are the heart of our team.”

Princeton comes off a 14-4 thrashing of then-No. 14 Dartmouth in Hanover, N.H., last weekend. Schwab, Casaceli and McGarvie notched three points apiece, while Murray came off the bench to score four goals.

Sophomore goalie Erin Tochihara finished with nine saves, stifling a Dartmouth attack that posted more than 10 goals per game coming into the contest.

“I think the win over Dartmouth was very crucial for our team,” Drumm said. “After a difficult loss to Penn, our win over Dartmouth showed us the level of play we are capable of achieving.”

Since spring break, the Tigers have won every game they have played by at least seven goals, with the exception of a 10-5 loss to Penn. Princeton has made a habit of scoring in the teens during this streak, scoring 13, 15, 15, 17 and 14 goals in its five victories. With their offensive explosion in this span, the Tigers have affirmed themselves as the top offensive team in the conference with an average of 12.15 goals per game.

The Bears’ defense has been suspect this season. Brown gives up an average of 10.81 goals per game, and opponents shoot .473 against the Bears. Goalie Isabel Harvey has an 11.13 goals-against average and a .371 save percentage on the season. As a team, Brown is last in the league with a .372 save percentage. Nevertheless, the Tigers have been preparing all week for an aggressive Brown defense.

“We have been focusing [in practice] on being able to control the ball under intense pressure,” Drumm said. “We also have practiced several different game situations during our scrimmages in order to get us ready for this Saturday.”

Offensively, the Bears have gotten significant contributions from attacks Katelyn Caro, Kaela McGilloway and Jesse Nunn. Caro and Nunn are the Bears’ primary finishers, having tallied 24 and 22 goals, respectively, while McGilloway has notched 14 goals and 12 assists.

Midfielders Lauren Vitkus, Kelly Robinson and Alexa Caldwell have also boosted the offense with 17, 16 and 11 goals, respectively. Molly McCarthy, who has 13 assists on the season, is the team’s primary feeder. Her 1.3 assists per game are good for third in the Ivy League.

Defensively, Brown is led by defender Noelle DiGioia. The senior leads the defense with 12 caused turnovers and 19 ground balls.

While the Bears might not fill up the scorecard like the Tigers do, Brown is very careful with the ball. The Bears are second-best in the league in turnovers, averaging only 14.15 turnovers per game. Against Princeton, something will have to give, as the Tigers lead the league with 12.15 caused turnovers per game.

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McGarvie directs the Tigers’ offense. Her 3.08 points per game are good for eighth in the Ivy League, and her 3.08 ground balls per game top the league.