Princeton Defeats Drexel in Opening Round of NCAA Championship

Friday, May 10

Chestnut Hill, Mass.

4 p.m.

Drexel University

13-6

Princeton - NCAA First Round

11-6

DREXEL

Princeton

Princeton Defeats Drexel in Opening Round of NCAA Championship

5/10/2024 6:06:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Anna Maria Gragnani scored three times, but Princeton used a strong third quarter to defeat Drexel in the first round of the NCAA Championship, 14-9, at Alumni Stadium. The Dragons finished the season with a 13-6 record. Bea Buckley handed out three assists and Molly Weygand added two goals for the Dragons. Corinne Bednarik scored a goal in the first half which gave her 292 career points, which tied the Drexel record. She now shares that record with Colleen Grady. Princeton (11-6) will advance to the next round to face second-seeded Boston College on Sunday.

BY THE NUMBERS
*Princeton won the battle at the faceoff circle, 18-9
*Bea Buckley tied her career-high with three assists.
*Jenika Cuocco finished with nine saves and ended the season with 224.
*Drexel went a perfect 18-18 on clear attempts

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Dragons got on the board first, thanks to a goal from Anna Maria Gragnani. The red-shirt junior dumped it in just in front of the crease off the dish from Bea Buckley. DU followed up less than a minute later with another. Buckley recorded her second assist of the game, racing around the back of the net to drop it off for Molly Weygand for the tally.

Gragnani came through again for Drexel, scoring off the free-position to extend the lead to three. Freshman Ellie Wall was next to join the party. The native of nearby Duxbury, Mass., scored after Buckly made a perfect pass in the middle for her third assist.

The Tigers made a charge of their own near the end of the first. Maggie Molnar created a spark for Princeton, collecting her first goal of the season just in front of the goalie. Jami McDonald was able to get another for Princeton, bouncing a shot in to cut the lead in half. The Tigers were able to get one more at the end of the quarter, with McKenzie Blake scoring off the women-up situation.

Buoanna found the back of the net once again to start the second frame. The senior found an opening and squeezed it through for the goal. Bednarik got the Dragons back on the board after a DU scoreless stretch of more than 15 minutes. The fifth year capitalized on the free-position to score and record her 292nd career point.

Princeton's Molner tallied, spinning around the Drexel defender to tie the game back up at five a piece. The Dragons came firing back, as Weygand charged down the middle of the field through multiple sticks to reach the back of the cage to give the Dragons the lead back. Dora Haven scored with just .50 seconds on the clock to send the teams to the half tied at six.

The Tigers opened the second frame with six unanswered goals to take control of the game. Dora scored her second straight goal to give Princeton its first lead of the game at the 8:40 mark. Blake scored three goals in the quarter with Grace Taukus and Meg Marrisroe each adding one, as the Tigers took a 12-6 lead to the final quarter.

Alex Wall helped Drexel finally snap Princeton's run. The fifth year ripped a goal far out to cut the lead to 12-7. Allison Drake made it two-straight for DU, scoring off the free-position for her 40th of the season. Jami MacDonald ended the run and gave the TIgers some cushion at the 5:05 mark. The sophomore curled around the net and scored to bring the lead back up to five. Blake tallied for the fifth time in the contest to extend the lead, 14-8. Drexel didn't go away easy, as Gragnani reached the top net to record her third goal of the afternoon. This was not enough as the Dragons fell 14-9.