No. 12 Women's Lacrosse Defeats Columbia, 18-8, To Set Up Title Showdown Saturday At '52

Wednesday, April 27

New York, N.Y.

4:00 PM

Princeton University

11-3, 6-0Ivy

Columbia

2-12, 0-6Ivy

Princeton

Columbia

Photo by: Beverly Schaefer

No. 12 Women's Lacrosse Defeats Columbia, 18-8, To Set Up Title Showdown Saturday At '52

April 27, 2022 | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

NEW YORK CITY – The stage is now set.

With an 18-8 win at Columbia, No. 12 Princeton improves to 6-0 inside the Ivy League and will host Yale – also undefeated in Ivy play at 6-0 – on Saturday with an outright Ivy League championship and hosting rights for the Ivy League Tournament on the line.

The Tigers never trailed, opening the game with six consecutive goals en route to their 11th win of the season.

Kyla Sears finished with six goals, while Grace Tauckus and Ellie Mueller each had three. Samantha DeVito had three assists – each helper coming on one of Mueller's goals.

Notes To Know:

Princeton improves to 25-0 all-time against Columbia and 13-0 in NYC.
Kyla Sears now has 71 points this season, tied for No. 9 in a season by a Tiger.
Sears now has 278 career points, second-most by a Tiger and seven away from tying Olivia Hompe '17 for No. 1 all-time.
Sears now has 187 career goals, third-most by a Tiger all-time – two away from tying Crista Samaras '99 for second and 11 away from tying Hompe for No. 1.
Sears was held without an assist, still sitting tied for No. 1 all-time by a Tiger with 91.
Marge Donovan had a game-high seven draw controls, giving her 82 this season and 184 for her career – both rank No. 2 all-time by a Tiger. She is five away from the Princeton career record and six away from the single-season record – both currently held by Elizabeth George '19.

How It Happened

The Tigers scored the game's first six goals, building a 6-0 lead with 2:18 remaining in the first quarter. Kyla Sears started things off, scoring on a free position 1:03 into the game. McKenzie Blake followed 1:41 later off a pass from Kari Buonanno and the Tigers were off and running.

Four of Princeton's goals came in a span of 3:31 – including two from Ellie Mueller. By the time the game was 16:12 old, Mueller had a hat trick – each goal a similar strike from in close assisted by Samantha DeVito.

In the second quarter, the Lions found some traction with three goals in the final 8:37 of the half. Sears would answer with two goals of her own, including a spectacular effort through the Columbia defense with 6:25 remaining in the second quarter.

Kyla On Fire!

The Tewaaraton nominee slices and dices through the Columbia defense for her 2nd of the game!

??: https://t.co/maoGJB3bVa pic.twitter.com/kCYemXQ68z
— Princeton Women's Lax (@princetonwlax) April 27, 2022

The Lions scored first in the third quarter off a Dani Falcone goal 0:54 into the period, but Grace Tauckus countered with her second of the game and then Kate Mulham followed just past the midway mark of the quarter to build the lead back to seven.

Eventually, the lead ballooned to 11 as Mulham's goal started a run of five Princeton goals in a span of 4:33. Mulham and Sears each had two in the run, Sears scoring once after Marge Donovan caused a turnover, picked up a ground ball and scampered down the field before tossing a long bomb of a pass over the defense to a wide-open Sears who made a quick fake before slipping the ball home.

6:56 (3rd) Tigers In Transition!

Marge Donovan with a big defensive play and she sends a long bomb to Kyla Sears!

??: https://t.co/maoGJB3bVa pic.twitter.com/28AyEgzQvh
— Princeton Women's Lax (@princetonwlax) April 27, 2022

In the fourth quarter, each side scored twice – Princeton netting goals from Sears and Sophie Whiteway. Every Princeton player who dressed for the game was able to see minutes, including freshman goalkeeper Tia Reaman who made two saves in the fourth quarter in her first career action.

6:16 (4th) Whiteway Whips One Home!

Sophie works through traffic and scores.

??: https://t.co/maoGJB3bVa pic.twitter.com/MO5YGcGDww
— Princeton Women's Lax (@princetonwlax) April 27, 2022

Princeton closes the 2022 regular season on Saturday, hosting Yale at Sherrerd Field as part of a doubleheader with the men's team which starts with the men taking on Cornell at noon. After the conclusion of the women's game – which is expected to start at approximately 3 p.m. – Princeton will honor the Class of 2022 for Senior Day as well as celebrate Hall of Fame head coach Chris Sailer who is retiring at the end of the season following a 36-year legendary career.