ON THE BALL: Princeton University women’s lacrosse player Meg Morrisroe, right, goes after the ball in recent action. Last Saturday, sophomore attacker Morrisroe scored a goal to help Princeton defeat Columbia 17-6 and earn its 11th straight win. The No. 5 Tigers, now 11-1 overall and 4-0 Ivy League, play at No. 18 Penn (6-5 overall, 2-2 Ivy) on April 16 and then host No. 17 Brown (10-3 overall, 4-1 Ivy) on April 19 as the program holds its annual Senior Day celebration. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Coming into its game against visiting Columbia last Saturday, the No. 5 Princeton University women’s lacrosse team was clicking on all cylinders.

The sizzling Tigers brought a 10-game winning streak into the contest, having started the week by topping No. 19 Stony Brook 19-13 last Wednesday.

But with a cold rain falling late in the afternoon at a chilly Class of 1952 Stadium, Princeton struggled to catch fire as it found itself in a 2-2 tie with a feisty Columbia squad heading into the second quarter.

Displaying the brilliant play at both ends of the field that has characterized its play this spring, the Tigers seized control of the game from there, outscoring the Lions 6-1 in the period to build an 8-3 halftime lead. Princeton never looked back as it rolled to a 17-6 win, improving to 11-1 overall and 4-0 Ivy League.

In the end, 11 different players tallied goals for the Tigers, led by a hat trick from Haven Dora with Sophie Whiteway, Kendall Dean, Nina Montes, and McKenzie Blake chipping in two apiece.

Junior defender Abigail Roberts, who joined the scoring parade with a third period goal, her first tally of the season, wasn’t surprised by the squad’s offensive balance.

“Today was just a day for everyone on the roster to feel good about themselves,” said Roberts in a postgame interview on ESPN+. “We have been working really hard this season. We were hoping today that we could play for each other and we did just that. We have 10-11 goal scorers on the sheet today which means that everyone did their job. Everyone is feeling excited, that is exactly what we were looking for.”

The Tiger defense got the job done as well, holding the Lions scoreless for a span 17:48 from midway through the second quarter into the third.

“I wouldn’t say that our first 10 minutes were our strongest, but we are working on being consistent throughout the game,” said Roberts, who had one ground ball, one caused turnover, and six draw controls to help key the defensive effort. “Consistency happens in some of the smaller moments. We didn’t have any huge plays today. It was just about everyone doing their part and just contributing to a big defensive unit success instead of any one single person putting the team on their back. That is what we have been looking for.”

Facing a big week, the Tigers will need some strong play to keep enjoying success as they gird for a pair of crucial Ivy clashes, playing at No. 18 Penn (6-5 overall, 2-2 Ivy) on April 16 and then hosting No. 17 Brown (10-3 overall, 4-1 Ivy) on April 19 when the program will be holding its annual Senior Day celebration.