Princeton Snaps Penn's 34-Game Ivy League Winning Streak, Clinches Playoff Spot
from press release
PHILADELPHIA -- The No. 15-ranked Princeton
women's lacrosse team halted No. 8 Penn's 34-game Ivy League win
streak at Franklin Field on Wednesday, April 20 when it handed the
Quakers an 11-7 loss to earn a place in the Ivy League
Tournament.
Princeton, which had never led a top-10 team this season, improves
to 7-5 overall and 4-1 in the league to sit in a three-way tie for
second place along with Dartmouth and Harvard. All four of the top
teams have just one league loss.
It was a balanced attacked with five multiple-point scorers, as
Princeton scored 11 goals on a team that allows just seven per
game. Junior Cassie Pyle led the Tigers with a four-point game with
three goals and an assist. Senior Lizzy Drumm tallied three goals
and sophomore Charlotte Davis would score twice and add an assist.
Sophomore Jaci Gassaway would have a goal and an assist and
freshman Sarah Lloyd picked up two helpers. On the other end of the
field, senior Erin Tochihara was tremendous in goal making eight
saves, including six in the first half.
Princeton nearly got an empty net about a minute into the game as
goalie Emily Leitner came out to the left as Gassaway made her way
to the circle, but Leitner stepped in front of the shot to make the
save.
Penn would turn the ball over on its next two possessions, giving
Princeton way to take the lead, as the Tigers wouldn't allow the
Quakers to set up anything in the offensive end.
Pyle converted on a free position to give Princeton a 1-0 lead
with her 18th tally of the year
Tochihara would get first test at 23:52. She scooped up a loose
shot by Bridget Waclawik and the Tigers would clear the ball.
Drumm would take quick shot the top of the fan to make it 2-0 at
23:34, her 26th goal of the year.
Meredith Cain would put Penn on the scoreboard at 20:51 when she
scored on an eight-meter attempt.
Drumm would notch her second of the day when she slipped a left
handed shot in on the right post of Leitner to make it 3-1 at
16:46.
Penn would score the next two goals to even the score at 3-3.
Giulia Giordano scored at 15:42 after the Quakers overloaded the
right side leaving the left side bare. Giordano broke through into
the open space and found the back of the net. Two minutes later
Tory Benson would knot the game at 3-3.
Pyle would regain the lead for the Tigers at 12:44 when she drove
through her defenders down the lane and for the score. Senior
Maisie Devine would make it 5-2 43 seconds later on a restart, as
Charlotte Davis passed across the crease and Devine found space on
the right side of Leitner.
Lindsey Smith would cut the lead to 5-4 with a goal at 11:18.
On the other end Leitner would make a great save on a streaking
shot by Gassaway, who barreled down the lane.
Giordano answered with a quick transition goal to make it a 5-5
game at 8:18. It would be Penn's last goal for 17:05 as the Tigers
would hold it scoreless, while padding its lead with four straight
goals.
Gassaway gave the Tigers the lead with help from Pyle at 6:56 and
sophomore Caroline Rehfuss scored on a free-position attempt with
29 seconds left as Princeton took a 7-5 lead into the locker
room.
Charlotte Davis opened the second half with a goal as she shot far
post over the left shoulder of Leitner at 28:49. Gassaway would
feed Pyle from the goal line extended and shot low far post for the
four-goal lead at 26:27.
Waclawik ended Penn's 17-minute scoring drought at 21:13.
Tochihara was unstoppable in the second half. She made a great
stop on a Brennan shot in transition at 17:02. Penn spent the next
four minutes with the ball but could not score, missing a free
position and hitting the post and Tochihara a stalwart in goal.
Maddie Poplawski scored on a free-position attempt throwing the
ball over two defender's sticks with a high shot and goal a 7:55,
but it would be Penn's final goal of the game, as Princeton would
score twice more.
Winning the next draw, Princeton would score on its next
possession. Lloyd delivered an excellent pass to a cutting
Charlotte Davis at 7:13.
Tochihara would come up with a huge stop on a Tory Bensen shot at
4:25.
Drumm would seal the win for the Tigers when she caused Lily
Posner to turn the ball over in the Quaker end and before she could
get to the restraining line. Drumm would turn and run to the goal
to score at 2:20.
Leitner made seven saves and allowed 11 goals. Giordana paced the
Quaker offense with two goals and one assist and Smith had a goal
and an assist each.
Penn had a slim edge in shots 23-20, while Princeton put 18 on
goal while Penn had 15. The Quakers won the ground ball battle
23-17 and won 13 of 20 draw controls. Penn had 18 turnovers, 11 in
the first half, while Princeton had 13.
Princeton will travel to No. 14 Dartmouth on Saturday, April 23
for a noon game.
