Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Delaware
Women's Lacrosse Routs Delaware, 16-3, Improves to 11-3 Overall
April 26, 2005 | Women's Lacrosse
April 26, 2005
Box Score
NEWARK, Del. - The Princeton women's lacrosse team couldn't have been thrilled after seeing its chance at an Ivy League title slip away at Dartmouth on Saturday. The Tigers took out that frustration on 16th-ranked Delaware Tuesday night.
Led by a career-best four goals from junior Olachi Opara, nine other goal scorers and a defense that forced the Blue Hens into 32 turnovers, the fourth-ranked Tigers earned their largest win of the year, a 16-3 victory that was their 16th straight over Delaware.
The Tigers (11-3), who again avoided losing consecutive games for the first time since early in the 2003 season, took a 3-0 lead in the game's first seven minutes and forced the running clock that comes with a 10-goal lead midway through the second half.
"We got contributions from everyone," said Princeton head coach Chris Sailer. "Olachi was terrific, and our defense was really aggressive, especially in the second half."
"Opara's first goal, with 10:33 left in the first half, was the start of a Princeton run that turned a close game early into a blowout. Her two goals in a 1:11 span midway through the second half gave the Tigers a 13-3 lead.
"I think all of us were excited, whether we were on the sidelines or on the field, to play tonight," said Opara, who entered the game with two goals on the season after missing much of the early season due to injury. "We wanted to prove that we can put together a better effort than we did the other day."
The win, Princeton's biggest since a 19-6 win over Temple last year, was equally a result of both offense and defense. 10 Princeton players scored, including the first career goal for defender Lauren Vance. Defensively, the Tigers held Delaware (8-6) to just 10 shots and had 29 groundballs to just 17 for the Blue Hens. Princeton also had a season-high 25 caused turnovers, including five from Vance and at least two from seven other players.
Ingrid Goldberg, who had three goals, Lindsey Biles and Katie Lewis-Lamonica scored in the first seven minutes to give Princeton a 3-0 lead. Opara, Mary Minshall and Christine Dobrosky scored in the final 10 minutes of the half to make it 6-1 Princeton at halftime.
Delaware had it to 9-3 with 20:44 left after Casey McCrudden scored on a free-position shot, but Vance's goal came just over a minute after that and started a seven-goal Tiger run that ended the game.
Lewis-Lamonica scored twice for Princeton, while Courtney Bird, Vance, Kathleen Miller, Minshall and Julie McWilliams also had goals. Biles had two assists, tying her with Lauren Simone for third place on Princeton's all-time points list with 205.
All three Princeton goalies played, with Colleen O'Boyle entering midway through the second half and Meg Murray replacing O'Boyle in the final seven minutes.
Kristin Cellucci, Megan Hager and McCrudden had goals for Delaware, which hasn't beaten Princeton since 1989.