CREASE CONTROL: Princeton University women’s lacrosse goalie Ellie DeGarmo controls the ball in recent action. Last Saturday, senior star DeGarmo made nine saves as seventh-ranked Princeton defeated Harvard 20-5. She was later named the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week. The Tigers, now 9-1 overall and 3-0 Ivy, play at No. 1 Maryland (13-0) on April 12 and at Yale (7-6 overall, 1-3 Ivy) on April 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Ellie DeGarmo earned a slew of honors last spring in her junior year with the Princeton University women’s lacrosse team.

The standout goalie was named a first-team All-American, the Ivy League Defender of the Year, and won the C. Markland Kelly Division I Goalkeeper of the Year award.

Coming into the 2017 campaign, DeGarmo felt a burden   to live up to those high standards.

“I was getting all of these preseason things and I haven’t done anything,” said DeGarmo.

“It felt like a lot of pressure and I was nervous going into the first game.”

DeGarmo looked as sharp as ever in the season opener, making 12 saves as the Tigers routed Temple 19-3.

“I got back right where I was before, staying as calm as possible,” said DeGarmo, a 5’6 native of Baltimore, Md. “I think I am doing better this year than I did last year.”

The statistics bear out DeGarmo’s contention as she has posted an 8.55 goals against average this spring with 122 saves in 10 games after compiling a 8.95 goals against average last year with 171 saves in 17 games.

Last Saturday against visiting Harvard, DeGarmo helped hold the fort as seventh-ranked Princeton broke open a game that was knotted 3-3 midway through the first half, going on a 7-1 run to end the first half and then pulling away to a 20-5 victory in improving to 9-1 overall and 3-0 Ivy.

“We just kind of took off, it was really awesome to see,” said DeGarmo, who recorded nine saves in the victory, later getting named as the Ivy Defensive Player of the Week for her role in containing a Crimson squad that had been averaging 13.8 goals a game.

“I don’t know what it was. I think we just became more scrappy and went after the ball harder. They were hitting us a lot and got called for a lot of fouls. We stayed composed and I made a few saves.”

For DeGarmo, having a stellar defensive unit in front of her, led by fellow seniors Madeline Rodriguez and Amanda Leavell along with sophomore Alex Argo, makes it easier to stay composed on the field.

“They are so solid; they are truly phenomenal defenders,” said DeGarmo.

“They are the reason I am so successful is because they force the bad shots. They have such good one-on-one defense that most of the time we don’t even need slides. They come when we need them.”

As she heads down the homestretch of her college career, DeGarmo is determined make the most of things.

“It is definitely bittersweet, I go into each game knowing that I only have a few left which is a sense of urgency,” said DeGarmo.

“I am just so happy to be out there. I feel as though we have the most talented team we have had since I have been here and I really know that we can do so much. I just want us to capitalize on every second that we have.”

With Princeton playing at top-ranked and perennial powerhouse Maryland (13-0) on April 12, DeGarmo and her teammates are primed to show what they can do against the talented Terps.

“It is just a really good opportunity to play such a good team; I think we really can give them a run for their money,” said DeGarmo.

“It is going to be an incredible game. They have some of the best players in the country and we have some of the best players in the country. I think it is going to be a really competitive game, I can’t wait.”

No matter what happens on Wednesday, DeGarmo can’t wait to see what the rest of the spring holds for the Tigers.

“When I was a sophomore, we got to the Elite 8 and we should have gone to the Final 4,” said DeGarmo.

“Ever since then I have this burning desire to go the Final 4 We have an incredible senior class. I am really excited. I think we could go to the Final 4 and anything can happen; we could win it all.”