Alex Aust

Cathy Reese will never underestimate Princeton. In her first year as a player for the Terrapins women’s lacrosse team in 1995, she beat the Tigers, 13-5, in the national championship game to halt Princeton’s attempt at a repeat.

So the sixth-year coach knew the Terps couldn’t take the Tigers lightly entering last night’s contest. Attacker Erin McMunn boasted a Tigers season-high 45 points and No. 13 Princeton was riding a four-game winning streak.

The Tigers threatened to make it five when they cut an eight-goal Terps lead in half with a 4-0 run early in the second half. But the No. 1 Terps’ four hat tricks and scrappy defense down the stretch ultimately secured a 15-9 victory before more than 600 fans at Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex.

“I was proud of the way we came out,” Reese said. “We have a lot of respect for Princeton. I played Princeton back in the Final Four in my days … a lot of respect for that program.”

Attacker Alex Aust notched a game-high seven points on three goals and four assists. Attacker Halle Majorana, and midfielders Katie Schwarzmann and Beth Glaros each added hat tricks.

Princeton’s second-half run came after coach Chris Sailer inserted McMunn into the circle. With McMunn’s nine draw controls leading the way, the Tigers went on to win the battle in the circle, 15-11.

“It went back and forth for a little bit,” Reese said. “Second half, one of our goals in the locker room, we wanted to fight a little harder in the circle in the draw, and we didn’t.”

The Terps (15-0) won the game’s first four draw controls and used that stretch to sandwich 4-0 and 3-0 runs around a lone Tigers (7-4) tally. With 13:32 left in the first half, the Terps led, 7-1.

Majorana scored two of her career-high-tying three goals during that early period.

“We were just all on the same page,” Majorana said. “I was able to find the openings, but it was great passes coming from Brooke, Beth and Alex.”

The Tigers only found the back of the net one more time before the half, and went into the break trailing, 9-2.

Though the Terps lost the draw control battle in the first half, 7-5, they took 12 more shots and converted all seven of their clears.

Aust extended the Terps’ lead to 10-2 with 24:39 left. But Princeton goalkeeper Caroline Franke then rattled off a series of stellar saves, helping spark the 4-0 run that quickly cut the Terps’ lead to four.

“I thought we had a letdown in the second half,” Reese said. “We lost the second half, 7-6. We gave up too many opportunities and we need to do better than that.”

A frustrated Reese called a timeout following Princeton’s outburst. Her words appeared to resonate — at least temporarily — as the Terps won the ensuing draw control and sprinted down the field for a score.

Princeton struck right back, however, as McMunn netted her second goal to bring the deficit back to four.

Two quick scores extended the Terps’ lead to six, effectively ending the Tigers’ hopes of a comeback.

Princeton couldn’t take advantage when Schwarzmann earned a yellow card, either. The teams simply traded goals to end the contest, and the Terps stepped off the field with their 15th straight win to begin the season.

Still, the Terps said after the game they need to improve. They may be undefeated, but there is still work to do.

“We’re looking to get back to playing Maryland lacrosse in the way that we know how to play,” Glaros said. “Today we were a little bit complacent, couldn’t really get in the flow of the game. I think we are going to get even stronger going forward.”

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