Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Harvard
Field Hockey Stuns Harvard With Late-Game Comeback, 2-1
October 23, 2004 | Field Hockey
Oct. 23, 2004
Box Score
When you've won 10 straight Ivy League titles, you always seem to find a way to win. Just ask the Princeton field hockey team, which put itself in position for an 11th straight championship thanks to some stunning late-game heroics against No. 18 Harvard Saturday afternoon.
Hillary Schmidt scored with just 1:20 left in the second half, giving Princeton the lead after the Tigers had trailed 1-0 just two minutes before, propelling the Tigers to a huge 2-1 victory over the Crimson and putting Princeton in the driver's seat for the league's automatic NCAA berth.
The Tigers (6-8, 5-1 Ivy) are now one-half game ahead of Harvard (8-6, 4-1 Ivy) in the league standings. By virtue of today's victory, Princeton can clinch the league's automatic NCAA berth by defeating Penn at Class of 1952 Stadium in two weeks, even if the Tigers and Harvard end up with identical league records. But back to Saturday. Princeton gave itself a chance to tie and then to win late thanks to two penalty-corner situations. The first came with three minutes remaining and Harvard ahead 1-0. Natalie Martirosian stopped Schmidt's push at the circle, where Alexis Martirosian then pushed a high shot past Harvard goalie Aliaa Remtilla to tie the score at 1-1.
Less than two minutes later, more Princeton pressure forced yet another penalty-corner situation, and the Tigers converted on the last of three chances at Remtilla. The Harvard goalie saved Lizzie Black's initial shot, then got a piece of Natalie Martirosian's rebound attempt. But Schmidt then tipped the rebound into the goal near the left post to give Princeton the lead.
Harvard had taken a 1-0 lead with 18:55 remaining in the second half. Shelley Maasdorp's pass from near midfield got behind the Princeton defense and found the stick of Jane Sackovich, whose shot beat Princeton goalie Allison Nemeth on a one-on-one situation.
After an initial goal on a Harvard penalty-corner attempt in the first three minutes of the game was disallowed, Princeton controlled possession for much of what would end up as a scoreless first half. Neither side had a great scoring chance in the first 15 minutes of the second half before Sackovich put the Crimson ahead.
Princeton has now defeated Harvard 11 straight years. The Tigers, who defeated a ranked opponent for the first time this season, outshot the Crimson 14-6 and had eight penalty corners, including the two decisive ones late in the second half.
The Tigers play William & Mary and Old Dominion next weekend on the road before facing Penn Nov. 5. No team in any sport has won 11 straight Ivy League titles since official league play began in 1956.