Women's Lacrosse Stunned By Rutgers In NCAA First Round, 12-11
Princeton's 2026 season came to a stunning end in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Tournament when a last-minute rally was denied in a 12-11 loss to Rutgers in College Park, Md.
Princeton University Athletics
Women's Lacrosse Stunned By Rutgers In NCAA First Round, 12-11
May 08, 2026 | Women's Lacrosse
Princeton's 2026 season came to a stunning end in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Tournament when a last-minute rally was denied in a 12-11 loss to Rutgers in College Park, Md.
With the game in the balance, Amelia Hughes made the final of her 10 saves with 0:59 to play and send Princeton down the field in transition. Moments after the Tigers crossed the clearing line, Rutgers knocked the ball loose before Princeton could get to goal and picked up the ground ball to take one final possession and deny a Princeton comeback that had been in the works the entire fourth quarter.
Junior Meg Morrisroe had a game worthy of the NCAA Tournament stage, tallying seven points on four goals and three assists. Haven Dora had a five-point game in her final collegiate contest, scoring once and dishing out four assists. Jami MacDonald and Grace Mulham each had two goals in the game.
Princeton led by one on two occasions, taking the game's first lead and then going in front again at 4-3 with 10:58 to play in the second quarter.
Other than that, the Tigers were on the chase the rest of the game as Rutgers got ahead by as much as five with 8:39 to play in the third quarter.
The Rutgers lead was four after a Caroline Ling goal with 14:26 to play in the fourth, but Princeton rattled off the next three to get within one with 6:09 to play. The three goals came in 1:22 of game play, starting with a Morrisroe tally then followed by a strike from MacDonald and one from Mulham to make it an 11-10 game.
Rutgers countered with an Elsner goal with 4:01 to play, but MacDonald slipped free for a feed from Dora with 2:23 to play that got the Tigers with one at 12-11.
The Tigers struck first, with Meg Morrisroe finding Ella Sloan on a cut down the middle for a goal 2:09 into the game.
Morrisroe got one back for the Tigers with 4:18 to play, firing home a free position. Haven Dora would add a free position of her own with 1:00 to play in the opening period to tie the game at 3-3 after 15:00 of play.
Grace Mulham gave the Tigers. 4-3 lead 4:02 into the second quarter, connecting on a free position from distance.
Out of halftime, a caused turnover from the Princeton defense led to a Tigers' goal when Merrill Watson finished off a Morrisroe pass 1:56 into the third quarter.
Princeton finishes its season 11-7 and were Ivy League Tournament champions.
With the game in the balance, Amelia Hughes made the final of her 10 saves with 0:59 to play and send Princeton down the field in transition. Moments after the Tigers crossed the clearing line, Rutgers knocked the ball loose before Princeton could get to goal and picked up the ground ball to take one final possession and deny a Princeton comeback that had been in the works the entire fourth quarter.
Junior Meg Morrisroe had a game worthy of the NCAA Tournament stage, tallying seven points on four goals and three assists. Haven Dora had a five-point game in her final collegiate contest, scoring once and dishing out four assists. Jami MacDonald and Grace Mulham each had two goals in the game.
Princeton led by one on two occasions, taking the game's first lead and then going in front again at 4-3 with 10:58 to play in the second quarter.
Other than that, the Tigers were on the chase the rest of the game as Rutgers got ahead by as much as five with 8:39 to play in the third quarter.
The Rutgers lead was four after a Caroline Ling goal with 14:26 to play in the fourth, but Princeton rattled off the next three to get within one with 6:09 to play. The three goals came in 1:22 of game play, starting with a Morrisroe tally then followed by a strike from MacDonald and one from Mulham to make it an 11-10 game.
Rutgers countered with an Elsner goal with 4:01 to play, but MacDonald slipped free for a feed from Dora with 2:23 to play that got the Tigers with one at 12-11.
The Scarlet Knights won the ensuing draw, and worked a shot from Sutley Delaney that Hughes denied with under a minute to play and set the stage for the dramatic sequence that closed out the game.Defense To Offense To One-Goal Game! pic.twitter.com/FDfIm46W3i
— Princeton Women's Lax (@princetonwlax) May 8, 2026
The Tigers struck first, with Meg Morrisroe finding Ella Sloan on a cut down the middle for a goal 2:09 into the game.
The Scarlet Knights netted the game's next three goals, building a 3-1 lead with 7:10 to play in the first quarter.Off & Running!
— Princeton Women's Lax (@princetonwlax) May 8, 2026
Ella Sloan takes a Meg Morrisroe pass and fires it home for a 1-0 lead! pic.twitter.com/ork6mpK3rA
Morrisroe got one back for the Tigers with 4:18 to play, firing home a free position. Haven Dora would add a free position of her own with 1:00 to play in the opening period to tie the game at 3-3 after 15:00 of play.
Grace Mulham gave the Tigers. 4-3 lead 4:02 into the second quarter, connecting on a free position from distance.
Rutgers countered with the next five goals off the stick of five different players to take an 8-4 lead into the halftime break.Say Grace!
— Princeton Women's Lax (@princetonwlax) May 8, 2026
Try and stop this ?? from Grace Mulham! pic.twitter.com/cFiqLtKJQR
Out of halftime, a caused turnover from the Princeton defense led to a Tigers' goal when Merrill Watson finished off a Morrisroe pass 1:56 into the third quarter.
A pair of Hilary Elsner goals for Rutgers negated the Princeton goal to open the quarter, but Meg Morrisroe and Haven Dora connected on a pair of Princeton goals before the end of the third quarter to send the Tigers to the fourth trailing by three.Go Meg!
— Princeton Women's Lax (@princetonwlax) May 8, 2026
Morrisroe and Dora on the give-and-go! pic.twitter.com/Yz8EMzj6wj
Princeton finishes its season 11-7 and were Ivy League Tournament champions.
Team Stats
RUTGERS
PRINCETO
Shots
25
36
Turnovers
10
10
Caused Turnovers
7
4
Draw Controls
16
9
Free-Position Shots
2
7
Ground Balls
12
12
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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