Princeton University Athletics
Only One Goal Remains
August 16, 1999 | Field Hockey
Nov. 6, 1998
PRINCETON, N.J. - Playing in front of their home crowd for the final time in a regular-season and Ivy-League contest, the eight senior members of the Princeton University field hockey team had no plans on ruining their perfect conference record or jeopardizing their hopes for home-field advantage in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
They did neither, scoring a 4-0 win over Pennsylvania to end the regular season with a 15-2 record and a 7-0 mark in the Ivy League. Senior Kirsty Hale (Sr., Virginia Beach, Va.) scored the first goal on a penalty corner and assisted with a beautiful pass to a cutting Hilary Matson (So., Marathon, N.Y.) for the game's second goal.
Meg DeJong (Sr., Tinton Falls, N.J.) tied a Princeton University record with her 10th shutout of the season. Susan E. Kohler also reached the mark in 1981.
Princeton will not know its fate until Wednesday, when the NCAA announces the bids and the first-round locations. In all likelihood, Princeton will be one of the four teams to receive a bye and host the first two rounds of the tournament. If that happens, the two first-round teams will play at the Class of 1952 Stadium on Saturday at noon. Princeton will face the winner on Sunday at 2 p.m. for the right to play in the Final Four at Franklin Field the weekend of Nov. 20-22.
The senior class ends its career with a 26-0 record in the Ivy League.
Pennsylvania (8-9, 4-3) 0 0 - 0 Princeton (15-2, 7-0) 3 1 - 4Scoring - Hale (Ann Marie Reich, Christine Hunsicker) 10:29, Matson (Hale) 27:53, Kate Carroll 28:41, Kate Fox (Adrienne Breslin) 55:04.
Shots - Pennsylvania 1, Princeton 22. Corners? Pennsylvania 0, Princeton 17.
Saves - Pennsylvania: Sarah Dunn 10, Princeton: DeJong 0.