Women's Lacrosse: No. 1 Terps down Tigers

Entering last night’s game, the Tigers were on a three-game winning streak after three losses earlier in the season, all to top-10 ranked teams, and they knew they were in for a tough match. Since defeating the Tigers 13-6 in their meeting last year, the Terps have now won 24 consecutive games, including last season’s national championship.

The goal scoring in the game started off slowly, as Princeton maintained possession of the ball on offense but was unable to find the back of the net. Patience allowed the Tigers to find several shot opportunities early on, but none of those turned into goals.

Maryland earned the first goal of the game at 26 minutes, 16 seconds, and the scoreboard would remain unchanged for the next 10 minutes. The Terps then added five unanswered goals to put them ahead 6-0. Four of those five scores came in a span of just over a minute, as the hosts quickly brought the ball from the draw straight to goal and the Tiger defense could not keep up with the fast pace.

Finally, with seven minutes left in the period, the Tigers put themselves on the board. Senior attack Lizzy Drumm, currently leading the team with 24 goals, put a low shot past goalie Brittany Dipper.

Maryland would quickly respond with a goal off the next draw, but the game appeared to start turning in the Tigers’ favor after a two-goal run closed the game to within four. Junior midfielder Cassie Pyle assisted Drumm on her second goal of the night and an eight-meter shot opportunity for sophomore attack Jaci Gassaway was successful with a quick, low bounce shot past the keeper. Maryland closed the half with two more goals, sending the Tigers into the locker room down 9-3.

In the second half, the Tigers were more successful on the offensive end, tallying seven goals; however, it would not be enough to dig themselves out of the first-half hole. Continuing their momentum from the end of the first half, the Terps clicked for three goals within the first eight minutes.

Sophomore attack Sam Ellis notched Princeton’s first goal of the second half, but three eight-meter opportunities for Princeton were unable to be converted into goals. The two teams alternated goals, as Maryland scored again before Pyle bounced the ball into the net.

Drumm scored her third goal of the game, but Maryland otherwise dominated the scoring for the next seven minutes, adding four to their total to take a 17-6 lead.

Following a goalie substitution by the Terps, the Princeton offense began to make a comeback, but it came too late to change the outcome of the game. Ellis and Drumm each added two goals and one assist in this final four-goal run.

The Terps currently boast the best scoring margin in the nation, averaging 16.38 goals and allowing an average of only 6.46 entering Wednesday’s game. The Tigers’ offense had more success than Maryland’s average opponent, netting 10 goals, the second-best mark against the Terps this season.

The Tigers host Harvard this Saturday at 1 p.m. as they re-enter Ivy League competition with hopes of maintaining an undefeated conference record.