Princeton University Athletics
Review
February 09, 2001 | Women's Water Polo
Princeton had just one senior on last year's roster, but Goga Vukmirovic was everything a team needs in a leader. She set the pace defensively in goal, while a new class of freshmen helped augment a steadily improving offensive attack.
The Tigers proved to be the class of the East with their first-ever Eastern championship on the heels of repeating as ECAC champions and winning a Mid-Atlantic title. Princeton finished 25-6, though three of those losses came as the season closed in the national tournament with Princeton's best finish ever, eighth in the country.
Princeton got off to a strong start with decisive wins over Villanova and Indiana. The Hoosiers gave Princeton its toughest test, but sophomore Cassie Nichols' four goals helped the Tigers rally for an 8-4 win. Princeton got three more wins the following weekend at home in the Princeton Invitational against Queens, Brown and Massachusetts. The Minutewomen came to DeNunzio as the top-ranked team in the East, but it was soon apparent that the teams were evenly matched. It took a goal from Nichols with 28 seconds to play to give the Tigers a 5-4 win. Princeton opened CWPA league action the following weekend at Villanova and outscored three opponents 35-6. The Tigers blanked Pennsylvania 13-0, and handled the host Wildcats 10-3 as freshman Adele McCarthy-Beauvais had five goals and three assists. Three goals from freshman Lindy Martin helped Princeton produce another win in its second meeting with Pennsylvania that weekend to remain unbeaten heading into its spring trip.
California was not kind to the Tigers, however, as they dropped three of four games. Princeton fell to No. 7 UC Davis, to No. 1 California and then to No. 5 San Jose State before knocking off Pacific 6-5 in overtime. Princeton scored twice late in regulation, and McCarthy-Beauvais got the game-winner.
The Orange and Black returned to friendlier waters on the East Coast the next weekend. Princeton knocked off host George Washington and then Villanova, behind two goals from junior Katherine Kixmiller to complete its second consecutive perfect 8-0 CWPA regular season.
The Tigers followed that up by taking their second consecutive ECAC championship. In the championship game, the Tigers defeated Massachusetts 8-5, as McCarthy-Beauvais scored four goals. Vukmirovic, was named the tournament's most valuable player.
Princeton dominated Maryland and knocked off Villanova to claim the Mid-Atlantic title in a tune-up for the Eastern championships. The Tigers were not challenged in the first three games, stopping Salem-Teikyo, MIT and Villanova before facing Massachusetts for the title in the two teams' third meeting of the season.
Tournament MVP McCarthy-Beauvais scored three goals to give the Tigers a 6-4 win and their first-ever Eastern championship. Princeton got great defensive efforts from Vukmirovic, who made 12 saves, and from Edwards, who stole the ball with 35 seconds remaining to preserve the win.
At 24-3 and the top-ranked team in the East, Princeton headed to the National Collegiate Championships as the No. 8 seed.
The Tigers rallied from an early 4-1 deficit against No. 9 Hawaii in the opening game of nationals. The victory, Princeton's 16th consecutive, set up a showdown with Stanford, the No. 1 team in the country.
Princeton was unable to counter the Cardinal's firepower in a 17-7 loss and concluded its season with losses to Massachusetts and to UC Davis to finish eighth in the country at 25-6, the fewest number of losses and highest rank in school history.
Princeton was Vukmirovic's team all season, and it was only fitting that the four-year starter was honored highly in her final year in goal. The senior was first-team All-East, honorable mention All-America and was also the CWPA Mid-Atlantic Player of the Year. Princeton also rewarded Vukmirovic with the C. Otto von Kienbusch Award as the top senior female athlete.
Several postseason honorees are returning for Princeton. Nichols was named all-league and honorable mention All-America. She was joined on the all-league team by Kixmiller and freshman Edwards and McCarthy-Beauvais. McCarthy-Beauvais was also second-team All-America, the highest such recognition in the program's history.