CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENT: Members of the Princeton University women’s soccer team celebrate after they defeated Cornell 2-0 last Saturday, a win which gave the Tigers at least a tie for the Ivy League title and the league’s automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA tournament. Later in the day, Princeton earned the outright Ivy title as second place Harvard tied 1-1 with Dartmouth. The Tigers, who got goals from Tyler Lussi and Jesse McDonough in beating Cornell and earning their 11th straight victory, improved to 13-3 overall and 6-0 Ivy. Princeton wraps up regular season play with a game at Penn on November 7. (Photo by Beverly Schaefer, Courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)
Hosting a stingy Cornell team last Saturday that had yielded only six goals in its first 15 games, the Princeton University women’s soccer team didn’t want to get mired in a defensive battle with the Big Red.
Princeton junior star Tyler Lussi didn’t waste any time getting the Cornell defense on its heels, arching a shot into the back of the net to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead 7:51 into the contest.
“I think it settled us down,” said Lussi. “I think we could have had a couple more early goals and we were going after them.”
With Princeton clinging to a 1-0 early in the second half, Lussi helped manufacture another Tiger goal as she lofted a cross into the box that junior Jesse McDonough headed into the back of the net.
“I saw Jesse and Mimi in the box and I just tried to nice and easy chip it over and Jesse was right there and all she had to do was place it in the corner and she did that and we were up 2-0 so it was great,” said Lussi.
The Tigers never looked back, going on to win by that 2-0 margin as they won their 11th straight game and clinched the Ivy League’s automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA tournament, improving to 13-3 overall and 6-0 Ivy.
“I think we controlled things throughout the entire game and I think we were just able to play it around them,” said Lussi.
“Once we played it wide, it worked to our benefit. That is our style. I think it was just an amazing game, it worked well for us.”
Princeton was playing with some extra emotion on Saturday as its three members of the Class of 2016, Emily Sura, Stephanie Paloscio, and Catherine Hartigan, were honored before the game in the program’s annual Senior Day ceremony.
“We wanted to win it for them, we knew coming into this game that we had to win and it was just a special day,” said Lussi. “It was special for them.”
It has been a special season for Princeton, which clinched the outright Ivy title later in the day when second place Harvard played to a 1-1 draw with Dartmouth.
“It means everything to all of us, to the coaches Sean (Driscoll), Kelly (Boudreau), Mike (Poller), and Ron (Celestin) and the entire team to be back in the tournament,” said Lussi, reflecting on the program’s first Ivy title since 2012.
“For some of us, it is the first time and we are going to take every single moment and run with it.
Lussi is on a great run this year as she leads the league with 13 goals.
“I think that working with new players has definitely helped,” said Lussi, a native of Lutherville, Md., who now has 41 goals in her Princeton career, tying her for second with Linda DeBoer ’86 with 41, behind the 47 piled up by program record holder Esmeralda Negron ’05.
“I think in the first few games we had to figure each other out, what our strengths are. As the season went on and we have won so many games in a row, we have all improved. It starts from the back line to the midfield, getting it to the forwards and the connecting throughout the entire field has helped everyone be successful.”
Connecting with freshman forward Mimi Asom, who has 10 goals in her debut campaign, has helped make Princeton particularly dangerous.
“Mimi and I have really worked well off of each other,” said Lussi. “We understand what type of balls we like to play and I think it has been amazing and we are going to keep this going.”
In Lussi’s view, first-year head coach Sean Driscoll has helped get things going in the right direction this season.
“Coming in, his positive attitude and energy and his desire to win has gone throughout the entire team,” said Lussi.
“I think everybody over the summer and in preseason and during the season has stepped up because we have so few players. Everybody has had to play such a pivotal role on the team and it has been incredible with him and the entire coaching staff. Every single player on this team and the coaching staff has a part of this and it has just been amazing.”
It was an amazing feeling for Driscoll to clinch his first-ever trip to the NCAA tourney.
“It is what you are trying for, I have been coaching 12 years in different colleges,” said Driscoll, who previously coached at Fairfield University and Manhattan College on the Division I level.
“The last two years I was on the doorstep. We lost on PKs last year and lost in the final the year before that. I was devastated. As I told the kids, I never understood why and now I know, it was meant to be here with this team. It is a great experience for the first year and they are a great group of girls. They deserve everything they get. They put in a lot of time and effort and they work exceptionally hard and their spirit is very high. I think they earned this opportunity to be an NCAA representative.”
Driscoll liked the way his team broke down the Cornell defense. “The goals we scored were great,” asserted Driscoll.
“Jess’s goal was fantastic; Tyler’s goal was tremendous and well taken. It took a lot of pressure off of us. We had trouble solving them. In the first half, we tried to serve the ball into the box too much. In the second half, we tried to pass the ball a lot more and I think we were a bit more dangerous overall.”
Lussi has emerged as one of the most dangerous players in Princeton history.
“Tyler’s numbers are staggering,” said Driscoll. “The numbers are adding up and she is only a junior; it is pretty impressive.”
The Princeton defense produced an impressive effort as it posted its third shutout in the last five games.
“The defending was great, Hannah (Winner) did a good job in goal,” added Driscoll.
“The back four has been really, really good all season. I was really impressed with what they did.”
In reflecting on his squad’s superb season, Driscoll credited a special chemistry with sparking its surge.
“There is a lot of belief, there is a lot of confidence in the team and each other,” said Driscoll.
“The spirit is very high. They are just so excited about playing together. They just enjoy each other’s company and they don’t want the season to end. When you have that kind of balance within the team you are going to do really well.”
After wrapping up regular season play with a game at Penn on November 7, Princeton will look to keep rolling in the NCAA tournament.
“I wouldn’t put anything past them; we have a lot of good weapons and we defend well so anything is possible,” said Driscoll, assessing his team’s NCAA prospects.
“I don’t want to speak out of turn. We are very happy to be the league representative and we look forward to playing whoever we wind up facing.”
In Lussi’s view, the Tigers will be a tough out. “I think we have played some incredible teams so far and we have proven we can beat them,” she said.
“I think if we just keep up our mentality and our positive energy and urgency, we are going to do great things.”