Princeton University Athletics
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Patriot-like Focus Fuels Sweep Weekend For Women's Hockey
February 11, 2006 | Women's Ice Hockey
Feb. 11, 2006
Box Score
PRINCETON - Looking towards one of the great sports franchises of the modern era, Princeton women's hockey coach Jeff Kampersal implored his team to come off of exam break without thoughts of standings or future opponents. He wanted crisp focus, and his team rewarded that stance with a brilliant home weekend, capped by Saturday's 7-2 rout of Dartmouth at Baker Rink.
"In the time I've been here, we've seemed to fall off a cliff after exam break," Kampersal said. "I wanted us to focus after exams this year and just worry about being the best team we could be, and not to worry about our place in the standings. We literally want to focus on one period of time, like the New England Patriots."
The focus this weekend was outstanding against two traditional powers in the ECAC women's hockey leage. One night after a 6-1 rout of the Harvard Crimson, the No. 6 Princeton Tigers jumped out to a 7-0 lead after two periods and coasted in the final stanza to the win.
As for those standings that Kampersal doesn't want his team to worry about, if he does happen to glance at the current standings, he'd have to be pleased. The Princeton win and a Clarkson loss at Colgate gives Princeton sole possession of second place with two weeks remaining in the regular season. If the Tigers hold on to one of the top four spots, they will welcome somebody to Baker Rink for the ECAC playoffs.
"With the parity in this league, we could see either of these teams again this season," Kampersal said. "We happened to get the best of them this weekend, but we'll have to continue playing at this level. The key for us is to break the puck out, so we can generate offense from the back."
There was plenty of offense in the first two periods for Princeton. A goal by Kim Pearce gave Princeton a 1-0 lead 5:32 into the game, and then goals by Marykate Oakley and Tarah Clark came within 26 seconds of each other to build the lead to 3-0 by the end of the first period. Annie Greenwood scored her 20th and 21st goals of the second period, as Princeton built the lead to 7-0 before intermission. Things were going so well for Princeton that the final goal came on a centering pass from Pearce that deflected off a defenseman's skate and into the goal.
The all-around team effort displayed in both contests has to be pleasing to Kampersal, the Patriot fan who is plenty familiar with the benefits of the team philosophy.
"We don't have with a few absolute studs," Kampersal said. "We have a team full of solid, smart players."
Focused players.