Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Michigan (NCAA First-Round)
Princeton Edges Michigan 4-3 in Field Hockey Tournament
November 16, 2002 | Field Hockey
Nov. 16, 2002
Rachael Becker scored her second goal of the game at 65:58 to lift Princeton past defending NCAA champion Michigan 4-3 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Saturday afternoon at Bigler Field at Penn State. The Tigers advance to face Penn State at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. Penn State advanced after defeating Kent State this afternoon, 3-2.
Last season Michigan knocked Princeton out of the NCAA Tournament in the semifinals en route to claiming the national championship.
In a back-and-forth game, Michigan opened the scoring at 10:26 when Lori Hillman scored her first goal of the season. Hillman fired a shot from the top of the circle that found its way just inside the upper left corner of the Princeton net.
Princeton answered back at 16:35 on Becker's first goal of the game. Ilvy Friebe fired the inital shot which hit the post. Becker picked up the rebound for her eighth goal of the season. The Wolverines regained the lead at 21:28 when Hillman scored her second goal of the game. Following a penalty corner, Princeton goalkeeper Kelly Baril stopped a shot by Laura Woitkewitsch, Kristi Gannon picked up the rebound and passed it to Hillman who put it in the cage. Michigan took the 2-1 lead into halftime.
The Tigers responded in the second half, evening the score at 57:50 on a goal from Kelly Darling. Claire Miller found a loose ball low in the circle and fed Darling across the circle who put the ball past Michigan goalkeeper Molly Maloney.
Princeton took its first lead of the game just over three minutes later when Natalie Martirosian redirected a shot from Darling into the Michigan cage. Darling's shot beat Maloney and Martirosian was behind Maloney to redirect the ball.
Michigan fought back and tied the game 2:00 later on a goal from Jessica Rose. Rose deflected a shot by Kristi Gannon over Baril and into the net.
With the score tied 3-3, Princeton continued to attack and went ahead for good with 4:02 left. Martirosian ran the ball into the Michigan circle and sent a centering pass through the circle. Both Maloney and Becker went for the pass and Becker found it first, deflecting it up and into the Michigan net.
Scoring:
First Half:
UM - Hillman (Gannon), 11:26.
PU - Becker, 16:35.
UM - Hillman (Gannon), 21:28.
Second Half:
PU - Darling (Miller), 57:50.
PU - N. Martirosian (Darling), 60:53.
UM - Rose (Johnson), 62:53.
PU - Becker (N. Martirosian), 65:58.
Penalty Corners: PU - 10, UM - 9.
Shots: PU - 19, UM - 12.
Saves: PU - Baril, 5; UM - Naloney, 6.