Princeton University Athletics
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Princeton Named as NCAA Regional Host, Will Face Old Dominion on Saturday
November 07, 2006 | Field Hockey
PRINCETON - The Ivy League champion Princeton field hockey team learned that it will face third-ranked Old Dominion this Saturday in the first round of the 2006 NCAA Field Hockey Championship. Additionally, Princeton's Class of 1952 Stadium was selected as one of four regional sites for the first and second rounds. Along with Princeton and Old Dominion, seventh-ranked Connecticut and 19th-ranked Boston University were assigned to the regional.
Princeton and Old Dominion will meet in the first semifinal of the day at 11 a.m. Boston University and Connecticut will then play in the second game of the day at 2 p.m. Saturday's winners will meet on Sunday afternoon for the right to advance to the national semifinals in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Fri., Nov. 17. The national championship game takes place on Sun., Nov. 19.
Tickets for both days will be available on the day of the games. Tickets will cost $7 for adults and $5 for children or students with their student ID cards. On Saturday, gates will open at 10 a.m. and tickets will be sold until the completion of the second game. On Sunday, gates will open at 1 p.m. and will be sold until the completion of the game.
Princeton (11-6, 7-0 Ivy) ran the table in Ivy League play to compete its 11th-perfect Ivy season and its second in a row. The record placed Princeton three games ahead of the competition as the Tigers won their 12th league title in 13 years its 15th championship overall.
Wake Forest, Maryland, Old Dominion and Duke were named the tournaments top four seeds for the second season in a row. Wake Forest, Maryland and Duke will all host regionals this weekend.
Princeton, which earned the Ivy League's automatic bid to the NCAA championship, is making its 12th NCAA appearance and its 11th in 13 years. The Tigers advanced to the national championship game in 1996 and 1998, reached the national semifinals in 1997 and 2001 and have advanced to the second round seven times in their previous 10 appearances. Last season the Tigers faced Duke in the first round and pushed the fourth-seeded team to double-overtime before falling 2-1.
The Tigers will meet Old Dominion for the second time this season. The Tigers are 4-11 overall against the Lady Monarchs. Princeton is 3-3 against ODU at home and is 2-1 against the Lady Monarchs in three prior NCAA tournament meetings. Princeton beat Old Dominion in the 1996 semifinals in Boston. Old Dominion defeated the Tigers in the 1998 NCAA title game in Philadelphia, and Princeton defeated Old Dominion in the 2001 NCAA quarterfinals at Class of '52 Stadium.
Old Dominion defeated the Tigers 5-0 earlier this season in Princeton. ODU took a 1-0 lead eight minutes into the game. The score remained 1-0 until later in the second half when the Lady Monarchs added four scores for the 5-0 final. Senior goalkeeper Allison Nemeth made 11 saves in the game and was helped out by two additional defensive saves.
Princeton went 1-5 against the tournament field with the lone winning coming against American. Princeton also played Old Dominion, Connecticut, Penn State, Richmond and Maryland.
Stay tuned to GoPrincetonTigers.com throughout the weekend for ticket information for this weekend's games.
Click here for the complete tournament bracket.