HOMPE DAY: Princeton University women’s lacrosse player Olivia Hompe, No. 22, celebrates after a goal in recent action. Last Wednesday, senior star Hompe tallied nine points on seven goals and two assists as seventh-ranked Princeton defeated No. 11 Syracuse 16-11. On Sunday, she had five goals and three assists to help the Tigers rout Delaware 16-4. Hompe’s eight-point game moved her from fourth on the Princeton all-time scoring list to second, as she surpassed Lisa Rebane ’96, Lindsey Biles ’05 and Erin McMunn ’15 and now has 225 points. Princeton, now 8-1, hosts Harvard on April 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Olivia Hompe brought a special sense of urgency to the field as the Princeton University women’s lacrosse team hosted Syracuse last Wednesday evening.

“I was saying before the game that we only have so many more teams under the lights at Class of 1952 and and I was just trying to come and make the most of it,” said senior star Hompe.

Hompe lived up to those sentiments, tallying nine points on seven goals and two assists as Princeton defeated Syracuse 16-11. The seven goals and nine points were single-game career bests for Hompe, who became the first Tiger to tally nine points in a game since 2013, and just the eighth player to do so.

“Colby Chanenchuk, with the feeds, was unbelievable,” said Hompe of the junior attacker who had four assists on the game with three of them setting up goals by Hompe.

“She was really seeing me today and really seeing the ball early. It was more about doing what was in our control and taking the shots that we knew we were going to score. I think what was different, that some shots we are getting were really open shots because we were moving the ball so well, getting their defense to bite.”

Fighting for the ball all over the field helped Princeton jump out to a 9-2 lead over the Orange.

“We got a couple of early goals and that really started with competing on the draw; they have a really strong kid on the draw and we really hunted those balls,” said Hompe.

“That gave us a lot of mojo going in on the attack, coming up with some early goals. It really gave us some energy across the field and also just getting in some good early defensive sets. Ellie (DeGarmo) had a great game in goal (a career-high 18 saves). I think she is the anchor of that, coming up with those saves really gives our defense a lot of energy.”

On Sunday, Hompe had five goals and three assists to help the Tigers rout Delaware 16-4. Hompe’s eight-point game moved her from fourth on the Princeton all-time scoring list to second, as she surpassed Lisa Rebane ’96, Lindsey Biles ’05 and Erin McMunn ’15 and now has 225 points (Crista Samaras ’99 is first in program history with 270 points).

Hompe, who was later named the Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week for her scoring outburst, is less concerned about personal milestones than enjoying the ride with her classmates.

“I think our class has been through a formative period for the team,” said Hompe, a 5’9 native of New Canaan, Conn. who has 50 points this season on 36 goals and 14 assists, and has amassed 159 goals and 66 assists in her brilliant career.

“It is more about securing our legacy as a class and really finishing the season strong. Our class, head to to toe, is just incredible. It is definitely about leaving a mark on the program. We are all so invested in this program and we want to finish it in the best way possible.”

Hompe is looking to make her mark on the international lacrosse scene this summer as she recently made the English national team for the upcoming 2017 FIL Rathbones Women’s Lacrosse World Cup.

“My mom is a British citizen and my two older sisters were born in London,” said Hompe.

“We are all British citizens so I have a passport. I went over in September for an initial tryout before I came to school. During one of our breaks I went for a big training camp. They have just made the final 18 for the World Cup.”

The competition is slated to take place from July 12-22 at the Surrey Sports Park in Guildford, Surrey, in southeast England.

“I will probably go over there in June to start training with the team,” said Hompe.

“The World Cup is definitely going to be an incredible experience and I am really honored to have been chosen for the English national team. I think we have a really great team and could do some damage.”

In the meantime, Hompe is focused on helping seventh-ranked Princeton, now 8-1 overall, do some damage over the rest of the spring.

“For us, it is just about getting better every single game,” said Hompe of the Tigers, who resume Ivy League play by hosting Harvard on April 8.

“We certainly have a lot of aspirations. It is using every opportunity to get better and prepare because especially coming off last year as great of a season as you can have, when it comes down to it you have to be ready to perform in your moment in those final games.”