LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The No. 17-ranked Princeton University Tigers completed the Loyola Marymount University Invitational with two more victories, defeating the Fresno Pacific University Sunbirds, 18-2, and the host/No. 11 Loyola Marymount Lions, 6-5, at the Burns Aquatic Center.
Against Fresno Pacific, the Tigers put up their most goals (18) since an 18-4 win over the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) on February 27, 2016.
The Tigers held the Sun Birds off the scoreboard for the first 13:37 of game action, registering eight straight tallies to construct an insurmountable lead. Princeton rolled from there as Kasey Bersh, playing in her third game of the season, did not allow a goal in the fourth quarter. She combined with starting goalie Marissa Webb, who played the first three quarters, to notch nine saves.
Haley Wan, Maddie Pendolino and Lindsey Kelleher each posted hat-tricks in the victory to lead the Princeton offense.
Taking on the host Lions of LMU, Princeton recorded its first defeat of Loyola Marymount since 2015 thanks to a pair of goals from Chelsea Johnson and the game-winning tally by Eliza Britt with 4:31 on the clock.
The Tigers took a 2-1 lead with a tally from Abbey Blake with 2:11 remaining left in the first. The two squads combined for just two goals in the second quarter as Princeton took a 3-2 advantage into the break.
The two top-25 teams went back and forth in a thrilling third frame that saw four goals. Trailing by a goal, Loyola Marymount tied the contest at five-all as the clock just ticked under six minutes. However, Britt countered with the game-winner a little over a minute later to make the difference.
Release courtesy Princeton University Athletics Communications
