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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Harvard
Players Mentioned
Princeton Defeats Harvard to Advance to Ivy Championship
May 02, 2015 | Women's Lacrosse
Box Score
PRINCETON, N.J. (5/1/15) - Princeton's offense exploded in the second half using a nine-goal run to defeat Harvard 15-8 in the Ivy League Tournament semifinal to advance to Sunday's championship game.No. 11-ranked Princeton will face No. 13 Penn for the second straight year, as the Quakers topped Cornell 7-6 earlier today.
The Tigers' 15 goals is an Ivy League tournament record for goals in a game as six different players scored and 10 of the goals being assisted tallies.
Sophomore Olivia Hompe scored a career-high six goals and came within one goal of breaking teammate Erin McMunn's seven-goal Ivy League tournament record from one year ago. Hompe scored on all six of her shots on goal. Another personal best came from sophomore goalie Ellie DeGarmo, who made a career high 12 saves. Sophomores Anna Doherty and Lauren Steidl had five draw controls apiece - both career highs. Senior Erin Slifer had a five-point game with two goals and a game-high three helpers. Junior Anya Gersoff tallied three goals and had one assist, while McMunn scored twice and had two assists.
“It was just a thing of beauty,” Sailer said. “It was highlight reel tonight. The goals, the passing combinations, they were really seeing each other so well. The cuts up from the crease, the transition goals, it was so much fun to see them playing so well together. They were reading everything, seeing everything and finishing.”
The teams were tied 4-4 at halftime before Princeton (13-3) went on its run. Similar to the regular season when the teams were tied 6-6 at intermission before Princeton went on to win 17-12.
Princeton started the game 2-0 but Harvard (8-8) answered and gained the lead on a 4-0 run. Slifer and Hompe both scored unassisted goals in the final 3:30 to even the game at 4-4 at halftime.
“Early in the first half I think we were having trouble just possessing the ball,” Hompe said. “Harvard was doing a great job of having long sets and really working our D. But as an attack we saw that our D was holding up great and made some amazing stops, so at the end of the half it was really just us focusing on doing our part and stepping up like the D did for us.”
The second half saw the teams trade goals in the first seven minutes before Princeton's offense exploded for nine straight goals to take a 14-5 lead.
Gersoff got things started on a pass from Slifer, followed by two Hompe goals just 12 seconds apart. Paloscio assisted on a Doherty goal before an unassisted Slifer goal. Six minutes later Slifer set up McMunn, Hompe had help from Gersoff and then scored herself with Paloscio getting the assist. Hompe capped off the run with her sixth goal of the game.
Julia Glynn ended the 19+ minute Harvard drought as she converted a free-position attempt and teammate Audrey Todd followed with a conversion on the fan two minutes later.
Freshman Camille Sullivan had a great play to escape a double team and threw the ball to Gersoff in front of the circle. A one-handed catch and a rifle of a shot led to a highlight reel goal with 2:20 left on the clock.
Caroline Ashford gave the Crimson its final goal of the game at 1:43.
Glynn finished with a hat trick for Harvard, while Todd scored twice. Glynn added three ground balls and three draw controls, with Emma Ford winning three draws as well. Kelly Weis stopped seven shots in net for the Crimson.
Harvard outshot Princeton 29-25, and won two more ground balls 12-10. Princeton won the draw control battle, 15-10.
Princeton and Penn will meet for the championship game at 11 a.m., on Sunday, May 3 at Sherrerd Field at Class of 1952 Stadium. The winner receives the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.