#15 Princeton 11 #8 Penn 7 – Women’s Lacrosse – A View From Papazian’s Perch

PHILADELPHIA, April 20, 2011 – It was Senior Night for the University of Pennsylvania Women’s Lacrosse team, and a chance to clinch a share of their fifth-consecutive Ivy title against their arch-rival Princeton Tigers.  It was not be to for the Quakers as they fall 11 – 7 at Franklin Field.  Turnovers and unforced errors proved to be the undoing for the Red and Blue.
Karin Brower Corbett

“I think Princeton deserved it,” said Penn Coach Karin Brower Corbett.  “We were sloppy, our shooting was horrible, and unforced errors have been plaguing us all year.  It came to a head tonight.  Princeton turned the ball over, but we were worse. The bottom line was unforced errors, bad shooting, and we weren’t tough enough.”

“Coach said in the past few games we are letting the unforced errors plague us,” said Sophomore Midfielder Maddie Poplawski.  “We play defense, get the ball back, then throw it away.  It’s unfortunate that we work so hard on defense, go up the field, then it’s a turnover and we are back playing defense again.”

Penn committed 18 turnovers in the game.  11 of those turnovers came in the first half.  Princeton had 13 for the game.  Penn had 23 shots, but put 15 on goal. The Quakers committed 18 fouls, 14 in the first half.  

Princeton jumped on top getting scores from Attack Cassie Pyle and Lindsey Drumm.  Penn answered with a free-position goal by Sophomore Midfielder Meredith Cain at the 20:51 mark.  After Drumm scored her second goal of the game Penn came back with consecutive goals by Senior Giulia Giordano a

nd Freshman Midfielder Lindsey Smith to tie the game at 3.  Princeton went ahead 5 – 3 when the Giordano Smith combination scored back-to-back goals knotting the gae]me at 54 with 8:18 to play.  Princeton got goals from Attack Jaci Gassaway and a free-position goal from Attack Caroline Rehfuss with 29 seconds left to give the Tigers the 7 – 5 halftime lead.

Penn would need second half magic, but it would be Princeton scoring the first two goals of the half as Midfielder Charlotte Davis converted at the 28:49 mark and Pyle at 26:27 giving the Tigers a 4 goal lead.  Senior Attack Bridget Wacklawik got one back for the Red and Blue.  At the 20 minute mark Penn began to get possession of the ball over the next ten minutes having five good opportunities to score, including a free-position shot, but missed shots and turnovers kept the deficit at 3. 

“There was a time we were on the attack, then threw the ball away to nobody, then they come down and score,” said Brower Corbett.  “That deflates you.” 

After a save by Junior Goal Keeper Emily Leitner with 9 minutes on the clock, Penn finally broke through with goal by Poplawski with 7:55 to play getting Penn to within 2 at 9 – 7.  The Tigers responded 42 seconds later when Davis found the back of the net.  Princeton Goal Keeper Erin Tochihara came up with more saves to preserve the lead.

A turnover by Penn gave an opening to Drumm who made no mistake scoring her third goal of the game with 2:20 remaining to seal the win for Princeton.

Giordano scored 2 goals and had an assist giving her 23 points on the season.  Smith tallied a goal and an assist.  Erin Brennan, Penn’s leading scorer, was held scoreless. 

Cassie Pyle scored 3 goals and had an assist.  Lizzie Drumm also tallied 3 goals.  Charlotte Davis had 2 goals and an assist.

The 34 game Ivy League win streak for the Red and Blue ends.  However, the goal of winning the conference is not over.  Penn, Princeton, Dartmouth, and Harvard al have one loss.  It is up to the Quakers to bounce back if they can fix the unforced errors.

“We have to come out in our next game, and as Coach said, can’t be sad, remember how we feel now.” said Giordano.  “We can still share that title with someone.  That’s what we want, and that’s what we are going to do starting this Saturday.”

Boxscore

Writtten By:  Glenn Papazian

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