No. 17 Women’s Lacrosse Rallies By Cornell, 15-11
It took a minute for No 17 Princeton to get going on the road at Cornell, but the Tigers put a frustrating first quarter quickly in the rearview and dominated the final three periods en route to a 15-11 win over a Big Red team whcih had enetred the game undefeated in Ivy play. Princeton now stands at 4-3 overall and 1-1 in the Ivy League. Cornell falls to 6-3 overall and 2-1 in Ancient Eight play.
Princeton spotted the Big Red a 6-2 lead after the first quarter, and the deficit became five after Cornell scored again 1:21 into the second. From there, the Tigers outscored the hosts 13-4 the rest of the way to secure the first Ivy League win for first-year head coach Jenn Cook.
WE ARE TIED!
Nina leads the way with her SIXTH goal of the game!
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— Princeton Women’s Lax (@princetonwlax) March 25, 2023
Nina Montes was a difference-maker in the first half, scoring five of her six goals in the game in the opening 30:00 as she almost single-handedly kept the Tigers within range. She scored all four of Princeton’s goals in the second quarter, each of those goals of the unassisted variety and two coming on free positions. At the end of the day, Montes finished 6-of-7 shooting for a career-high six goals.
Amelia Hughes had a .500 save percentage on the day, making 11 saves while allowing 11 goals. She made six of her saves in the second quarter, walling off the Big Red and allowing her team to climb back into the game.
Hughes With The BIG Stop!
The goalie denies the Cornell shot to keep the Tigers within striking distance!
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— Princeton Women’s Lax (@princetonwlax) March 25, 2023
McKenzie Blake had a hat trick, while Kari Buonanno (1g, 2a) also had a three-point game.
The Tigers did not take their first lead in the game until a Sophie Whiteway goal midway through the third quarter gave Princeton a 9-8 lead. Even then, Cornell scored the next two and regained a one-goal lead with 0:57 remaining in the third period. Jami MacDonald made sure things didn’t stay that way, scoring a free position goal with 0:01 left in the third quarter to send the game to the final frame tied, 10-10.
Just In Time.
Jami ties it up at the end of the quarter and we are even at 10-all after three frames!
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— Princeton Women’s Lax (@princetonwlax) March 25, 2023
Right out of the break, Princeton took a lead it would not relinquish. McKenzie Blake scored off an assist from Kari Buonanno 1:02 into the fourth quarter for an 11-10 Princeton lead. The Big Red would pull even one more time via a Katie Casiello goal less than a minute after Blake scored, but that was the last goal Cornell would score as Princeton held them off the board over the final 13:00 of play.
While the defense was standing tall, Blake kept shining. She scored the next two for Princeton, giving the Tigers a 12-11 lead with 10:58 to play and then adding another with 7:07 remaining.
Back And Forth We Go!
McKenzie puts us back on top in this thriller in Ithaca!
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— Princeton Women’s Lax (@princetonwlax) March 25, 2023
Grace Tauckus tacked on another insurance tally with 6:03 left, and Ellie Mueller provided the final margin of victory with an assist from Tauckus with 3:55 left.
