STICKING TOGETHER: Princeton University women’s lacrosse player Olivia Hompe, left, celebrates a goal with senior teammate Anya Gersoff in a game earlier this season. Last Friday, Hompe tallied two goals and an assist, including a leaping game-tying tally with 0.8 seconds left in regulation, but it wasn’t enough as Princeton fell 13-12 in overtime to the University of Massachusetts in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. The defeat left the Tigers with a final record of 11-6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

It turned into an unfortunate case of deja vu for the Princeton University women’s lacrosse team as it battled the University of Massachusetts in the first round of the NCAA tournament last Friday.

A week earlier, the Tigers had fallen behind 3-0 to Cornell in the Ivy League semifinals and battled back to force overtime only to lose 10-9.

Facing 12th-ranked UMass in Ithaca, N.Y. in the NCAA contest, the No. 14 Tigers fell behind 4-1 but quickly regrouped to pull ahead 6-5 at halftime. In the second half, Princeton took an 11-10 lead with 9:11 left but UMass scored two straight goals to take a 12-11 lead with 14 seconds left.

Undaunted, the Tigers kept battling as junior star Olivia Hompe scored a dramatic goal with less that a second left to make it a 12-12 game and force overtime. For the second Friday in a row, Princeton fell in overtime as UMass scored with 2:23 left in the second extra session.

“It was very, very similar to the Cornell game,” said Princeton head coach Chris Sailer, whose team ended the season with an 11-6 record.

“It was so intense, it was tied or one of us was up one, there were a lot of lead changes. It was a great game. It was everything you would think an NCAA game should be. Unfortunately, we came out the second weekend in a row on the losing end in OT.”

While the defeat stung, Sailer had no qualms with the effort she got from her players.

“I was really proud of our kids and the way they competed, to dig ourselves out of the hole we were in early and take the lead and just continue to battle and fight,” said Sailer.

“We showed so much heart. We had 11 different goal scorers, which is crazy and eight different assisters. I think the offense really played well and it was very balanced. We put a lot of different kids in; two of the scorers were defenders who came through in transition. It was just a really good day and a really tough, tough loss.”

The most memorable goal of the contest for Princeton came when Hompe scored just before the final buzzer.

“Nonie Anderson sent a long high pass to Olivia who was able to go up high and corral it right on the crease; she had a defender draped over her and still was able to get the shot off with 0.8 seconds,” recalled Sailer. “That was just such a high point.”

In the waning second of the first OT, Hompe got another chance for drama.

“Ellie DeGarmo had a great save and Liz Bannantine drew another charge,” said Sailer.

“We ended up with the ball and we were running a play that we have run a lot this year for Olivia when she is tightly marked. We got the look we wanted; unfortunately their goalie came up with a great save and then they were able to get the draw in the next overtime period and finish it up.”

Although it was a tough finish for the Tigers, Sailer views 2016 as a positive season for her program.

“I think it was a good year for us; clearly we came in with higher goals than we were able to achieve but they were really lofty goals,” said Sailer.

“Everybody wants to win championships and get to Final 4s. We learned it doesn’t happen easily. We accomplished a lot this year, we had a good season. We faced a lot of adversity, we had a lot of injuries. I think on the balance of it, any time you can win an Ivy championship, even in this case a co-championship (with Penn), that is a good year. That is what we measure ourselves, first and foremost and to get back to the NCAAs. For our seniors, they have now been to four NCAA tournaments.”

Those seniors have given the Tigers a lot over the years in terms of production and leadership.

“They have had a really big impact; your seniors are always the kids who drive the bus on the team,” said Sailer of her senior class that included  Anna Menke, Stephanie Paloscio, Anya Gersoff, and Maddy Lynch in addition to Bannantine.

“They really developed into good leaders this year. LB (Bannantine) has been a phenomenal captain the last two years but the whole class really grew over their time as players. LB is the only one in that class who started as a freshman and we ended up with four starters. All five of them had their best years as seniors, which is what you hope for in a senior class.”

Sailer has high hopes heading into next season as she welcomes back a number of stars, led by junior standouts Hompe and DeGarmo.

“That junior class is the core of the team,” said Sailer. “You have got rock solid kids there; you have good kids across the board in every position in that class. Next year, they will be very driven and I am sure it will be another exciting year.”