McKenzie Blake Scores OT Winner For 18-17 Win At No. 25 Harvard

Saturday, April 27

Cambridge, Mass.

12:00 PM

Princeton University

10-5, 6-1Ivy

No. 25 Harvard

10-4, 4-2Ivy

Princeton

Harvard

McKenzie Blake and Kari Buonanno Celebrate

McKenzie Blake Scores OT Winner For 18-17 Win At No. 25 Harvard

April 27, 2024 | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

May Madness came a little early this year.

No. 18 Princeton and No. 25 Harvard engaged in a classic to close the regular season and McKenzie Blake scored the 35th – and final – goal of the game 1:03 into overtime to secure an 18-17 win for the Tigers.

GOO TIGERS????

Blake with an assist from Buonanno WIN the game for Princeton in Overtime, 18-17?? pic.twitter.com/5Lbde87EDh
— Princeton Women's Lax (@princetonwlax) April 27, 2024

With the victory, the Tigers (10-5, 6-1 Ivy) secure the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Ivy League Tournament and will take on No. 3 seeded Penn on May 3 at Yale (4 p.m.) in the semifinals. The Crimson (10-4, 4-2 Ivy) will be the No. 4 seed and play host and top-seeded Yale at 7 p.m.

Princeton battled all afternoon, overcoming 14 turnovers and a 42-29 advantage in shots for the Crimson to rally multiple times and eventually lead by one with 1:50 remaining in the fourth quarter before the Crimson forced overtime on a goal with 0:22 left in regulation.

The Tigers controlled the draw to start overtime – the 11th draw control of the game for Sophie Whiteway – and patiently set up offense before Kari Buonanno dished to an open McKenzie Blake who rocketed a shot top corner for her fifth goal of the game.

Blake finished with her five goals and four draw controls, while Grace Tauckus had four goals and an assist. Meg Morrisroe had four goals, going 3-for-3 on free positions, while Buonanno had five draw controls to go with two assists.

Amelia Hughes picked up the win in goal, making six saves in 36:33 of action. Tia Reaman was a huge factor in the game, playing 24:30 in goal and making five saves while allowing just seven goals.

Hometown Hero!

Tia Reaman comes off the bench and has now made two quick saves -- including this low stop! pic.twitter.com/zSpsQLX8u9
— Princeton Women's Lax (@princetonwlax) April 27, 2024

The Tigers led for just 6:10 over the course of the game, having to claw back from a big deficit after staking the Crimson a 3-0 lead over the first five minutes of play and eventually falling behind, 8-3, with 1:15 to play in the first quarter.

What happened before the opening frame finished, however, may have been the spark that gave the Tigers a belief they could rally.

Princeton scored twice in a span of 0:13 before the first quarter was complete, netting goals from Blake with 0:17 to play and then a quick follow-up from Haven Dora seconds later with 0:04 left before the period ended.

Those two goals ignited a Princeton run which included four more goals to start the second quarter. Eventually, a Sophie Whiteway goal with 8:39 remaining in the half gave Princeton its first lead of the game at 9-8.

Holy Hand-Eye, Jami!

MacDonald has her first feed blocked, but she sticks with it and finds McKenzie Blake in front to make it a two-goal game!@ILWomen | @USALacrosseMag | @NCAALAX pic.twitter.com/5PovKYzpJn
— Princeton Women's Lax (@princetonwlax) April 27, 2024

The lead was short-lived, however, as Harvard countered 1:48 later with a Callie Batchelder goal to tie the game. Each team would score once more before the end of the half to send things to the break at 10-10.

In the third quarter, the pendulum swung towards the Crimson who scored five times to just a pair for Princeton and led, 15-12, after three periods of play.

As the fourth quarter commenced, the pendulum swung back towards Princeton. A 5-1 run for Princeton rallied the Tigers to a one-goal lead with 1:50 to play. Tauckus started the run with an unassisted goal 0:57 into the quarter, and Jami MacDonald followed 0:29 later with a free position goal.

Harvard got one back, but Tauckus and Morrisroe scored back-to-back free position goals in a span of 0:42 to tie the game at 16-16. Morrisroe then gave Princeton a 17-16 lead with an unassisted goal with just under 2:00 to play.

Morrisroe with the Rebound!!

Morrisroe's 21st goal of the season lets Princeton lead 17-16!! pic.twitter.com/OQLOYpSfw0
— Princeton Women's Lax (@princetonwlax) April 27, 2024

The Crimson forced the overtime when Riley Campbell rolled to her left and scored top corner with 0:22 to play, but the final heroics were saved for McKenzie Blake and the Tigers moments later.