Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Penn State (NCAA First Round)
Penn State Defeats Princeton, 3-1, in NCAA Field Hockey First Round
November 15, 2003 | Field Hockey
Nov. 15, 2003
Final Stats
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Karin Grap scored two unassisted goals, including one on a strange play just 34 seconds before halftime, and Annie Zinkavich had nine saves as No. 7 Penn State defeated 10th-ranked Princeton, 3-1, in the first round of the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship at the University of Maryland's Field Hockey/Lacrosse Complex Saturday afternoon.
The Nittany Lions (18-6), who defeated the Tigers for the fourth straight time and second time this season and knocked Princeton out of the NCAA tournament for the second straight year, advance to a Sunday quarterfinal game against host Maryland, which defeated California 2-0 in today's other first-round game in College Park. Princeton (12-6), which was making its ninth NCAA appearance, lost in the first round for just the second time in those nine trips. After Timarie Legel scored her 18th goal of the season for Penn State on a terrific redirection of a Heather Conroy pass with 11:02 left in the first half, it looked like the Tigers would go into the halftime break down by just one. But Grap controlled the ball from the right wing in the final minute and wristed a long shot through the Tiger defense and goalie Allison Nemeth to give the Nittany Lions a 2-0 lead at halftime. Princeton thought that Grap's shot came from outside the circle, but the goal counted and the Lions had a two-goal lead.
"We just didn't play very well at all in the first half," said Princeton head coach Kristen Holmes-Winn, who led the Tigers to their 10th straight Ivy League championship in her first year as head coach. "But give Penn State credit. They played a great game and deserve to be the team moving on."
The Tigers trailed 3-0 after Grap's second goal with 11:14 left in the game before Lizzie Black scored on a penalty corner situation for the Tigers as the game clock expired. The goal was Black's eighth of the season, tying her for the team lead.
Princeton's best chances to pull the game within 2-1 came 10 minutes into the second half, when the Tigers put together a stretch of penalty corner opportunities. On one corner, Black and Alexis Martirosian each had shots at Zinkavich, but the senior goalie saved both on diving stops. Seconds later, Martirosian's shot was blocked onto the stick of Cory Picketts, but Zinkavich dived to saved Picketts' attempt to keep her team ahead 2-0.
Grap's second goal came when Heather Conroy's shot was blocked and redirected toward the right post, where the junior snuck a shot past Nemeth to give the Lions a 3-0 lead.
Nemeth had 10 saves for the Tigers, who had lost 3-2 to Penn State at Class of 1952 Stadium on Sept. 14. The Lions outshot Princeton 19-15, including 10-6 in the decisive first half, and had 13 penalty corners to nine for the Tigers.
Princeton and Penn State were meeting in the NCAA tournament for the fourth time in the last six years, with each team now owning two wins in those four meetings.