Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Loyola
Players Mentioned
Defense Keys No. 13 Princeton to 8-7 Win at Loyola
March 31, 2016 | Women's Lacrosse
BOX SCORE
BALTIMORE, Md. (3/20/16) – Princeton's defensive effort was the key as the Tigers earned an 8-7 win at Loyola on Wednesday evening. Anchored by senior Liz Bannantine, the defense had four caused turnovers and nine ground balls in a smothering defensive effort.Bannantine came up huge for No. 13 ranked Princeton in the final 19 seconds, with her team ahead by one goal and Loyola with the ball. She came from the left side of the fan to block a free-position attempt from the center hash and then an drew an offensive charge eight seconds later.
Sophomore Ellie McNulty put the Tigers on the board first at 27:21 and Princeton wouldn't relinquish the lead.
Sabrina Tabasso knotted the game at 24:25 on a quick run to the goal, but freshman Kathryn Hallett responded with her own fast-break goal 23 seconds later. The defense looked solid early, with junior Madeline Rodriguez sticking away a shot and classmate Amanda Leavell there to clean up the ground ball.
Molly Wolf made 12 saves this afternoon in net for Loyola, a team receiving votes in the IWLCA national poll, and had a big stop on an Olivia Hompe free-position attempt to the next trip down the field.
Hannah Powers was able to convert on a free-position attempt for the Greyhounds at 19:37 to make it 2-2.
Sophomore Colby Chanencuk set up a cutting Abby Finkelston as Hompe was heavily face guarded at 16:26. Hompe ditched her man the next trip on offense with a nice move across the crease and a back hand off of a pass from McNulty as the Tigers took a 4-2 lead at 13:18.
Loyola responded with two goals, the first by Maddy Blakeman who used her height to shoot over her D from a pass from behind the cage, and Powers hit the back door 19 seconds later to even it up again 4-4, 12:16.
Junior Maddy Lynch had a nice strip with 8:55 to play and gave her offense some time to go on a 3-0 run. Finkelston hit the open goal on a Camille Sullivan pass after Wolf tried to come out to snag the pass. Hompe hit the upper 90 with Chanenchuk assisting and McNuty net her second of the night with Hompe helping out as Princeton grabbed its largest lead 7-4 with 4:08 remaining in the half.
Emily Clark had the final strike of the half, scoring an eight-meter attempt. DeGarmo kept it 7-5 with two big saves in the waning minutes. She denied Whiteford with Leavell again there to scoop up the ground ball at 2:14, and then made a body save with Hallett cleaning up with 46 seconds left as the Tigers look a two-goal lead into the locker room.
Tabasso converted on a free-position attempt at 27:14 of the second after getting knocked down by Bannantine to cut the deficit to just one.
Two minutes later Finkelston capped off her hat trick with her 12th goal of the season.
Whiteford closed in to make it 8-7 with an unassisted marker at 15:22.
Senior Anya Gersoff picked up a loose ball amidst a scrum and tried to score but Wolf made the point-blank save. She made another two minutes later on McNulty but Finkelston got the ground ball and the Tigers called timeout with the one-goal lead and 12:39 remaining.
McNulty had a nice feed to Gersoff hit the post but the Tigers got the ball back on a failed Greyhound clear. The ensuing shot went wide and the Greyhounds were awarded possession but another failed clear gave Princeton back the ball with 6:34 to play.
The Tigers worked some time off the clock before the Greyhounds were able to force a turnover with 3:53 to play. Loyola wouldn't have the ball for long though with a tremendous caused turnover as three Tigers smothered Wolf and got possession. Tabasso was carded at 2:36, forcing the Greyhounds to play man-down for two of the final 2:36.
With 1:57 remaining Loyola picked up an errant Princeton pass but the Tigers defense was stingy and Loyola couldn't find room to take a shot. Whiteford was awarded a free-position attempt fromt eh center hash that was blocked by Bannantine with 19 seconds left and with seven seconds left Bannantine drew an offensive charge on Frankie Kamaley to give the Tigers the ball – and the win.
Princeton outshot Loyola 30-21 and had eight more ground balls, 18-10. Loyola won one more draw, 9-8.
DeGarmo finished the game with seven saves as the Tigers improve to 6-2 on the season.
Princeton wraps up a five-game road trip on Sunday when it takes on Delaware at 1 p.m.