Rutgers Women’s Lacrosse Falls to Princeton After Tough Road Battle

Rutgers came out ready to compete, but Princeton took the win

Rutgers Women's lacrosse celebrates a goal. | Rutgers Athletics

A three-game winning streak and growing confidence met a stern test Wednesday night in Princeton. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights battled hard on the road but ultimately fell 15-9 to the No. 14 Princeton Tigers at Sherrerd Field at Class of 1952 Stadium.

Possession Battle Belongs to Rutgers, But Shots Favor Princeton

Rutgers drops to 3-2 on the season, while Princeton improves to 1-1 with its first victory of the year. The final score reflects a Tigers team that capitalized on a second-quarter surge and relentless offensive pressure.

Final against the Tigers.

Back to action Saturday at home against Hofstra.#BxB 🧱 | #GoRU pic.twitter.com/yx2bUARWX6

— Rutgers Women's Lacrosse (@rutgers_wlax) February 26, 2026

Yet the game itself was far more layered, shaped by Rutgers’ dominance in possession and Princeton’s edge in shot volume. On paper, Rutgers did plenty right. The Scarlet Knights controlled the draw circle and owned the 50-50 moments that often swing tight contests.

Senior Katie Buck delivered a historic performance, tying a single-game program record with 13 draw controls. Her effort powered Rutgers to a 16-8 advantage in draws, consistently handing the offense extra opportunities to set up and settle into possessions.

Princeton unleashed 39 shots compared to Rutgers’ 29. That 10-shot gap created sustained pressure and forced the Scarlet Knights to defend for long stretches. The Tigers turned those 39 attempts into 15 goals, while Rutgers converted nine times.

Both goalkeepers were tested from the opening whistle.

Graduate student Simone Koryszewski anchored the Rutgers defense with a season-high 13 saves. Nine of those stops came in the second half. That includes six in a frenetic third quarter when Princeton was pushing to put the game out of reach. She faced 28 shots on goal and kept Rutgers within striking distance through sheer resilience.

On the other end, Princeton’s Amelia Hughes was just as steady. Hughes stopped 12 of the 21 shots she faced, denying Rutgers during several key stretches when the Scarlet Knights were searching for momentum. Whenever Rutgers threatened to chip away at the deficit, Hughes delivered a timely save to steady the Tigers.

The Second Quarter That Changed Everything

The first quarter set the tone for a defensive contest. Princeton grabbed a 3-1 lead, but the game felt balanced. Meg Morrisroe struck first on a man-up opportunity, and Colette Quinn added a free-position goal. Rutgers responded when junior Payton Tini powered home a gritty unassisted strike. Maggie Molnar’s late goal gave Princeton its two-goal edge after one.

Then came the decisive swing.

Princeton exploded for a 6-2 run in the second quarter, turning a competitive battle into a growing gap. Morrisroe scored twice in the period to complete her first-half hat trick. Free-position chances proved pivotal, and the Tigers capitalized.

The defining moment arrived in the final second before halftime. It was when Jami MacDonald buried a free-position shot, sending Princeton into the locker room with a commanding 9-3 lead. It was a gut punch, but Rutgers did not fold.

The Scarlet Knights mounted a spirited comeback attempt that stretched from late in the third quarter into the early minutes of the fourth. Rutgers pieced together a 4-1 run fueled by offensive spark and defensive grit.

Alex Popham came off the bench and delivered a season-high two goals, injecting energy into the attack. Caroline Ling added an unassisted score, trimming the deficit to 12-7. Behind them, Koryszewski stood tall, recording six consecutive saves during the rally and giving Rutgers every opportunity to close the gap further.

Princeton Molnar’s second goal of the night halted the run, and the Tigers added two more over the final seven minutes to stretch the margin back to double digits. Rutgers added two late goals in the final five minutes, but the climb proved too steep.

Individually, several Scarlet Knights shined despite the result. Tini finished with her first hat trick of the season, repeatedly halting Princeton's momentum with confident finishes. Senior captain Lily Dixon tallied a goal and an assist and now sits just four assists shy of breaking the Rutgers program career record.

Freshman Kate Theofield dazzled with a behind-the-back goal off a feed from Dixon, one of the most creative moments of the night. Popham’s two goals provided a crucial second-half spark, while Ling’s unassisted strike helped fuel the comeback push.

Princeton led in total goals, 15-9, and total shots, 39-29. Rutgers dominated draw controls 16-8. Saves were nearly even, with Rutgers posting 13 and Princeton 12.

Now, Rutgers turns its focus back home. The Scarlet Knights will host the Hofstra Pride on Saturday, Feb. 28 at noon at SHI Stadium. The game will stream on Big Ten Plus and air on 88.7 WRSU-FM.

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