Late Run Pushes UVa Past Princeton

Saturday, February 23

Blue Turf Field/Charlottesville, Va.

11:00 AM

Princeton University

1-1

Virginia

4-0

Princeton

Virginia

Photo by: Brian McWalters

February 23, 2019 | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

The first five minutes and the last nine minutes made all the difference for the Princeton women's lacrosse team at Virginia Saturday.

UVa started quickly and finished hot, and that was enough to pull away from a Princeton team that had the better of the middle 44 minutes. Added all together, it meant a 14-9 victory for the Cavs.

Virginia led 3-0 after the first five minutes and then snapped a 9-9 tie by scoring the final five goals over the last 8:55 to improve to 4-0 on the year. Princeton fell to 1-1 and has a quick turnaround now to Penn State Wednesday at home.

"We want to challenge ourselves and play the best teams, and Virginia is certainly one of them," said Princeton coach Chris Sailer. "We learned a lot about ourselves today. We don't have a lot of time to dwell on this one, with Penn State coming up Wednesday. It's all part of the process of becoming the team we want to be as the season goes on."

Princeton was led by a four-point afternoon by Tess D'Orsi, who had two goals and two assists and was one of three Tigers with a pair of goals, along with Kyla Sears and Kathryn Hallett. Elizabeth George, who reach the 100-point mark for her career in the opener against Temple, had a goal and two assists.

Princeton trailed 3-0 after 4:38 but D'Oris, George and Julia Haney all scored to tie it. Princeton would take its only lead on freshman Maria Pansini's first career goal, and that made it a 6-5 Tiger advantage at intermission.

UVa scored the first four goals of the second half as Princeton went through a 16-minute scoreless drought after the break to fall behind 9-6, only to score three times, one each from D'Orsi, Hallett and Seards in the next 2:39 to tie it. Virginia would go back on top with 8:55 to go, and that started the decisive 5-0 run.

Virginia had a 27-23 edge in shots in the game. George had six draw controls and two caused turnovers in addition to her three points, and sophomore defender Marge Donovan also had two caused turnovers, as well as four draw controls.

UVa now leads the series with Princeton 20-18.

The Tigers and Penn State square off at 5 Wednesday on Sherrerd Field.