Women’s Lacrosse Fights For First

The top four teams in the Ivy League standings for women’s lacrosse will square off against each other this weekend; among them are the Princeton Tigers. No. 11 Orange and Black will face off against No. 20 Cornell at home this Sunday, April 17.

After a tough loss against No.1 University of Maryland on Wednesday, the Princeton women’s lacrosse team is definitely looking to come back with a strong win. The Tigers are currently undefeated in the Ivy League and hope to maintain this status through the weekend. Although they’ve already achieved much success in their league by having beaten Dartmouth, Harvard and Yale, the team remains humbled and focused on loftier goals. Junior midfielder and team captain Olivia Hompe said, “I think our team understands that even though we have won three Ivy games so far, each opponent we play proves a potent opponent, and we will be tested every step of the way.”

The Tiger’s strategy this weekend is all about consistency. The players have gained a lot of “resilience and backbone,” according to Hompe, from their past couple thrilling, one-goal victories, but they’re ready to compete in a steadier game. “Playing hard for the full 60 minutes on both halves of the field and not allowing Cornell the chance to capitalize on unforced turnovers will be key to our success on Sunday.” Another aspect of their game that the team hopes to focus on this weekend is the draw, which sophomore midfielder Ellie McNulty remarked is “the margin of victory in close games.”

The Big Red has achieved its fair share of success this season as well, as it is the only other team undefeated in the Ivy League besides Princeton. Having competed in one more game than the Tigers, Cornell has outplayed Yale, Columbia, Brown and Dartmouth so far. This year, the team has thrived on a balanced offense, boasting seven players with 15 or more points. Cornell’s offense scored three more goals than Princeton against Maryland in the beginning of their season and one more against Dartmouth this past weekend, but Princeton’s defense is ready for a fight.

Both Hompe and McNulty agreed that Princeton’s defensive unit has been the pivotal factor in its victories thus far. When asked about the team’s greatest strength, Hompe commented, “Anchored by the returning starter Ellie DeGarmo in cage, our defensive unit has been incredibly stingy while playing more aggressively than they have in past years, causing lots of turnovers and giving our offense lots of opportunities to score.”

Princeton is sweeping Cornell in the two teams’ overall series, with a 34-4 advantage in their all-time record, including a 20-year win streak from 1989-2009 and wins in the past three matchups. However, Cornell's past two wins have come on Princeton's home soil. Despite all the stats and numbers, the team is ready to treat this game like a championship. McNulty commented, “If we execute the game plan and play our hardest, we are confident we can win.”

Draw time is 12 p.m. on Sunday, April 17. The game will be covered by ESPN 3 as well as the Ivy League Digital Network.