Princeton University Athletics
Second-Half Domination Leads Tigers to 11th Win
August 16, 1999 | Field Hockey
Oct. 14, 1998
PRINCETON, N.J. - It seemed destined to be another Wednesday nail-biter, but Molly O'Malley (Sr., Tunkhannock, Pa.) and her Princeton University field hockey teammates made sure that their fans didn't have to wait until the final seconds for a win tonight. The Tigers, ranked third in the nation, scored two second-half goals to knock off No. 8 Delaware, 3-1.
O'Malley took a lead pass from Hilary Matson (So., Marathon, N.Y) and scored on Delaware goalkeeper Kelly Adams with 20:37 remaining in the game, giving the Tigers a 2-1 lead. Ann Marie Reich put the game away in the final minutes by converting on Princeton?s 13th penalty corner with a blast from the top of the circle.
The penalty corner, which was unsuccessful most of the night for Princeton, worked for the Tigers' first goal as well. Kirsty Hale (Sr., Virginia Beach, Va.) passed to Christine Hunsicker (Sr., Walnutport, Pa.), who stopped the ball cleanly for Alison Morris (Sr., Coquitlam, B.C). Morris flicked the ball over Adams, giving Princeton a 1-0 lead 12:12 into the game.
The lead was short-lived, as Delaware put forth its only offensive fury immediately after the Princeton goal. On its only penalty corner, Jodi Byrd blasted a shot past Meg DeJong (Sr., Tinton Falls, N.J.) to even the score 59 seconds later. It was the final shot that the Blue Hens would take. Princeton took 27 shots, 16 in the second half, and could have blown the game open if not for 13 saves by Adams.
Princeton, the only undefeated team in the nation, will next travel to Connecticut, ranked second in the latest poll, on Sunday at 1 p.m. Connecticut also defeated Delaware, 3-1, earlier this season.
Delaware (11-2) 1 0 - 1 Princeton (11-0) 1 2 - 3Scoring - P: Morris (Hale, Hunsicker) 12:12, D: Byrd (Hills, Cawley) 13:11, P: O'Malley (Matson) 49:23, P: Reich (Hale, Hunsicker) 66:12.
Shots - Delaware 2, Princeton 27. Corners- Delaware 1, Princeton 13.
Saves - Delaware: Adams 13, Princeton: Meg DeJong 4.