Princeton University Athletics
Old Dominion Rallies to Overcome Princeton 8-2 in Field Hockey
October 31, 1999 | Field Hockey
Oct. 31, 1999
NORFOLK, Va. - The Princeton University field hockey team knew that a win over Old Dominion was crucial if it hoped to gain an at-large berth to the 1999 NCAA tournament. The Tigers came out roaring against the defending national champions, scoring twice in the first four minutes.
Unfortunately for the No. 19 Tigers, that was all the offense could muster. Princeton held the advantage for most of the first half, but the final 40 minutes of the game belonged completely to No. 7 Old Dominion. The Lady Monarchs scored eight unanswered goals to win 8-2 and struck a major blow to Princeton's NCAA tournament hopes.
Melanie Meerschwam (Jr., Amstelveen, The Netherlands) opened the scoring with a goal 2:32 into the contest. Emily Townsend (Fr., Houston, Tx.) followed with a goal 1:25 later, putting Princeton on top 2-0. The score would stand until Adrienne Yoder scored Old Dominion's first goal with just over seven minutes remaining in the first half.
The rest of the game belonged to Old Dominion. Laura Steadman recorded a hat trick in the second half and Marina DiGiacomo added two more goals as the Monarchs improved to 14-6 overall. Princeton, which plays Monday at 3 p.m. against Virginia Commonwealth, fell to 8-6 with the loss.
Princeton can still share the Ivy League title if it sweeps its final two games (11/3 vs. Columbia, 11/5 at Penn) and Brown loses its final game against Harvard. Due to its 2-1 win over the Tigers in Providence, the Bears have already clinched the Ivy League's automatic berth to the NCAA tournament.