Coming off an Atlantic 10 championship, the Massachusetts women’s lacrosse team earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Drawing Princeton in the first round, the Minutewomen (15-3, 10-0 A-10) will take on the Tigers (14-3, 6-1 Ivy League) in Baltimore, Md., this Friday.
UMass enters the tournament hot, having stomped Saint Joseph’s 15-4 last Sunday to extend its win streak to 13 and claim the A-10 title. Princeton, on the other hand, come into the NCAAs following a tough 17-6 loss to Yale, despite finishing atop the Ivy League standings. While the Minutewomen are the A-10’s sole representative, four Ivy League teams, including the Tigers, earned postseason berths.
Within the season, the only common foe both have squared up against was Dartmouth. Princeton bested the Big Green (9-6, 2-5 Ivy League) 15-11 while UMass didn’t face a similar fate, falling 10-12, its only loss at home this season.
The Minutewomen and the Tigers have faced off just twice before. Most recently, the two met in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament, when Princeton never trailed and secured a 15-9 victory. The programs also clashed in 2016, when UMass pulled off a 13-12 overtime win.
On the Draw
In a game often defined by runs, controlling the draw can be a major factor in determining who comes out on top.
The Minutewomen have continued to dominate the draw, thanks in large part to specialist Jordan Dean, who has repeatedly proven her value in the circle. Dean recently broke the program’s all-time record and set an NCAA single-season record for draw controls, making her a key asset to help UMass maintain possession and generate scoring opportunities. Notably, in the 2022 matchup between the two teams, Dean led all players in draw controls, despite being a freshman.
Against the Hawks (11-8, 9-1 A-10), the Minutewomen struggled in that aspect, securing only seven of 21 draws. Despite besting Saint Joseph’s by 11 goals, UMass found itself on the defensive end for much of the game.
Similarly, the Tigers struggled to win draws against the Bulldogs (14-3, 5-2 Ivy League), which limited their ability to generate offensive rhythm. Yale controlled both sides of the ball in the first half of the Ivy League final, outshooting Princeton, matching them in saves and committing fewer turnovers. That lack of possession early on stifled any chance for the Tigers to find their footing. In each of its last three games, Princeton has been outdrawn.
If the Minutewomen can capitalize on their dominance in the draw circle and find key players like Kassidy Morris and Delaney Rodriguez-Shaw early, they could exploit the Tigers in this area.
Key Matchup: Kassidy Morris and McKenzie Blake
Morris, the single-season record holder for UMass, has 77 goals on the season. The red-shirt junior broke the program record during its regular season matchup against George Mason.
McKenzie Blake is Princeton’s leading goal scorer this season with 73 goals and will provide a key challenge for not only Morris but also the Minutewomen’s defense.
In assists, Morris is yards ahead, spreading the wealth 23 times with her fellow teammates compared to Blake’s seven.
Both attackers have a season high of eight goals in a single game. Morris’ eight came in UMass’s matchup at St. Bonaventure. Blake’s eight occurred in Stony Brook’s visit to Sherrerd Field.
Against the Hawks, Morris only found the back of the net twice. For her to be held off against the Tigers, they should deploy a heavy defense and not allow her to exploit their holes, something she did in the lead-up before her first goal against St. Joseph’s.
The NCAA first round matchup between the Minutewomen and Princeton is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Friday, May 9. The winner will advance to face either Johns Hopkins or Liberty in the second round. The game can be streamed on ESPN+.
Emma Bensley can be reached at [email protected], and Kate Endres can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X at @Kate_e_endres.
