Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Field Hockey Faces Tough Test at Penn State
September 06, 2006 | Field Hockey
PRINCETON -- The Princeton field hockey team will play its second game of the season tonight when it travels to central Pennsylvania to take on seventh-ranked Penn State. Princeton opened its season on Saturday with a 4-3 loss at No. 19 Richmond.
Penn State will be Princeton's second ranked opponent this season and its second game against a 2005 NCAA tournament team. Princeton faces six teams that qualified for last year's NCAA field this season and has or will meet nine teams either currently ranked or receiving votes in the most recent STX/NFHCA Coaches Poll. Princeton was in the receiving votes category in this week's poll for the second time this season.
On Saturday at Richmond the Tigers found themselves in familiar territory, playing a back-and-forth game against a ranked team. The 2005 Tigers were 0-7 against ranked teams and lost five of those games by a goal. Against Richmond, Princeton jumped to an early lead thanks to a goal from sophomore Leah Hoagland in the third minute and a score by freshman Tina Bortz in the 23rd minute.
Richmond responded by scoring the next three goals before Bortz scored with 10 minutes remaining to knot the score up at 3-3. Richmond scored the eventual game winner five minutes later off a penalty corner and held on to pick up the win.
Penn State enters the game 3-2 on the season and has won its last three games. The Nittany Lions dropped their first two games of the season at home to Old Dominion and Ohio, and have since won games against Lock Haven, Northeastern and Connecticut.
Tonight's game is the second of three straight contests away from home for the Tigers, who complete the swing on Saturday afternoon at Yale as both teams open their Ivy League seasons. Princeton, the defending Ivy League champion is gunning for its second straight league title and its 12th in 13 years. Princeton opens up its home schedule at Class of '52 Stadium the following afternoon when William & Mary travels to Princeton.