No. 18 Women's Lacrosse Secures Dominant Ivy Win Over Columbia

Saturday, April 8

Princeton, N.J.

3:30 PM

Princeton University

5-5, 2-1Ivy League

Columbia

3-9, 0-4Ivy League

Columbia

Princeton

Photo by: Shelley M. Szwast

No. 18 Women's Lacrosse Secures Dominant Ivy Win Over Columbia

April 08, 2023 | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

It was a thoroughly convincing win for No. 18 Princeton as the Tigers tamed Columbia, 19-4, to improve to 2-1 in the Ivy League.

The Tigers built a five goal lead after the first quarter, and led by nine at halftime before holding Columbia scoreless until deep in the fourth quarter as Princeton excelled in all areas en route to the win.

11 different players had at least one goal for the Tigers – including first career goals for Kendall Dean, Lane Calkins and Abigail Roberts in the fourth quarter. All total, 13 different Tigers had at least one point in the win.

Jami MacDonald led all scorers with five points on four goals and an assist while adding three ground balls. Kari Buonanno had three goals and an assist while McKenzie Blake also had a hat trick.

Sophie Whiteway won eight draw controls while causing a turnover and picking up two ground balls to go with one goal.

Amelia Hughes made eight saves in three quarters of play in goal, Tia Reaman made two saves in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers dominated the opening stretch of the game, scoring twice in a span of 0:12 early in the period to take a 2-0 lead en route to a 7-2 lead after fifteen minutes.

Jami MacDonald had the first goal, finishing off a give-and-go with Ellie Mueller 1:33 into the game. Mueller would then win the ensuing draw and start a stunning sequence of ball movement which resulted in a Kari Buonanno pass to McKenzie Blake for a low scoop shot and a 2-0 lead.

Princeton's run would stretch to 5-0 to open the game with goals from Kate Mulham (free position), MacDonald and Mueller before the game was nine minutes old. Gianna Danese would end the scoreless start for Columbia with the Lions' first goal of the game 9:49 in.

Kari Buonanno would answer quickly with a beautiful spin-move and score 1:14 late to give Princeton a 6-1 lead.

Sophie Zachara would net one for Columbia with 1:58 left in the opening period, but Blake would uncork a sidewinder under a minute after that goal to send Princeton to the second quarter with a 7-2 lead.

The Tigers extended their lead to 9-2 with a pair of goals early in the second quarter. Jami MacDonald picked up her hat trick 0:43 into the period, switching to her right hand.

Just 0:36 later, Sophie Whiteway took a pass at the top of the arc and dodged by a defender to score on the run for a 9-2 lead.

Neither team would score for the next 8:17 before McKenzie Blake netted a free position goal to give Princeton a 10-2 lead with 5:24 left in the first half. The Tigers would eventually extend their lead to 12-2 after a Kate Mulham free position with 2:46 left in the half before Columbia's Sophie Zachara ended a 15:52 Columbia scoreless drought with 0:06 left in the half.

Out of the break, it was all Princeton. Grace Tauckus took a Meghan Curran pass in tight and finished to give Princeton a 13-3 lead 2:51 into the third quarter and the Tigers were comfortably ahead the rest of the way.

The Lions did not score in the third quarter as Princeton followed the Tauckus goal with markers from Nina Montes, Buonanno and MacDonald to lead, 16-3, after three periods of play.

In the fourth quarter, three Tigers netted their first career goals as Princeton salted away the win. Kendall Dean, Lane Calkins and Abigail Roberts each came in and made an impact with strong moves to goal to set off raucous celebrations.

Cecelia Messner ended another long run without a goal for Columbia, scoring the only goal of the second half for the Lions with 4:33 left in the fourth quarter – ending a run of 25:33 of shutout defense for the Tigers.