Princeton University Athletics
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Field Hockey Meets Penn State in NCAA Opener on Saturday
November 14, 2008 | Field Hockey
NCAA Tournament First Round
No. 11 Penn State vs. No. 9 Princeton
GAMETIME: Saturday, Nov. 15 at 2 p.m.
2008 RECORDS: Princeton (16-2, 7-0 Ivy); Penn State (16-6, 5-1 Big 10)
SERIES RECORD: Penn State leads 22-4-0 and is 3-0 at neutral sites
LAST MEETING: Princeton won 3-2 on Sept. 24, 2008 at Penn State
STREAK: Princeton won the last meeting
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Tourney Time
Princeton returns to the NCAA tournament this weekend and will meet 11th-ranked Penn State in the opening round of a regional played at Syracuse. The Princeton/Penn State winner will take on the winner of the Syracuse/Massachusetts winner for a spot in the NCAA final four.
How We Got Here
Princeton assured itself of a berth in the tournament with an 8-2 win in a Play-In game on Tuesday afternoon against Stanford. Princeton scored twice in the game's first three minutes and rolled to the win.
The 13th Time
Princeton's NCAA tournament appearance is the 13th in school history. Princeton's first NCAA appearance came in 1982. The Tigers went until 1994 before reappearing in the tournament, but have been in 11 of the 14 tournament's since.
Tournament History
In its 13 visits to the tournament, Princeton is 14-12 overall. It has reached the semifinals four times and the championship game twice, in 1996 and 1998. Princeton defeated Old Dominion in the first round and fell to Connecticut in quarterfinals in its last visit in 2006.
Perfect Seven
Princeton defeated Penn 5-0 last Friday night to cap its 13th perfect 7-0 Ivy League season. The Tigers ran the table in league play for the third time in four years.
17th Title
Princeton's Ivy League championship was its 13th title in the last 14 years and its 17th overall. Princeton has won 17 of the 29 Ivy League championships awarded since 1979.
Player of the Year
On Tuesday freshman Katie Reinprecht became the first player in league history to win the Ivy League Player of the Year award in her first season. Reinprecht was also a unanimous choice for first-team All-Ivy. The League's Player of the Year has come from Princeton 14 times and in eight of the last nine years.
Rookie of the Year
Freshman Kathleen Sharkey was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year on Tuesday. The freshman becomes Princeton's 15th Rookie of the Year and is one of three on the current roster with Sarah Reinprecht (2005) and Kaitlyn Perrelle (2006). Sharkey was also a first-team All-Ivy selection.
More Ivy Honors
A total of eight Tigers received All-Ivy honors this season. Senior Sarah Reinprecht received her third-straight first-team All-Ivy honor while senior Holly McGarvie is now a two-time first-team selection. Katie Reinprecht, Kathleen Sharkey and senior Kraftin Schreyer each received first-team honors for the first time in their careers. Senior Candice Arner was named to the second team and junior Kaitlyn Perrelle and senior Kristin Schwab were honorable mentions.
16 and Counting
Princeton's 16 wins this season are its highest since winning 17 in its final four year of 2001. Princeton won 13 games a season ago and 12 the year before that.
In the Polls
Princeton climbed to No. 9 in the latest STX/NFHCA Coaches Poll on Tuesday, its highest ranking of the season. Princeton is currently ranked fifth in the simulated RPI on fieldhockeycorner.com.
Against The Field
Princeton was 3-2 against tournament teams as it defeated Albany, American and Penn State, and fell to national top-seed Maryland and Connecticut.
Against Penn State
Princeton will meet Penn State for the second time of the season on Saturday afternoon. Princeton won the prior meeting 3-2 early in the season on the road. Princeton is 4-22 all-time against Penn State with an 0-3 record at neutral sites. The teams have met five times in the NCAA tournament with Penn State holding a slim 3-2 series edge.
The First Meeting
Princeton defeated Penn State 3-2 on Sept. 24 to improve to 5-1 at that point of the season. After falling behind 1-0, senior Katie Kinzer, freshman Kathleen Sharkey and freshman Katie Reinprecht scored three goals in a 2:36 span as Princeton came behind for the win.
Against Syracuse
Princeton is 8-2 all-time against Syracuse with a 4-0 mark in games played at Syracuse. The Tigers and Orange last played in September of 2001 when Princeton won 5-1 at home. The teams have one priot NCAA meeting, a 3-0 Princeton win at home in 1995.
Against Massachusetts
Princeton is 0-1 all-time against Massachusetts with that loss coming a season ago in the NCAA Play-In game at Princeton. UMass won the game 2-1 despite being outshot and outcornered by the Tigers.
Dominating
Princeton's Ivy League season was simply dominant. The Tigers went 7-0 and outscored Ivy opponents 34-4. Princeton shut out three of those opponents.
On a Roll
Princeton enters the weekend having won its last seven games. The Tigers have outscored their opponents 37-8 in the seven-game stretch.
Potent Offense
The Tigers rank third in the nation in goals per game with 4.22, less than a goal behind national leader Syracuse. The Tigers rank fourth in points per game and eighth in assists per game.
Around the Corner
Princeton is averaging 10.41 penalty corners per game this season. The only team in the nation with more is regional host Syracuse, which has 11.19 corners per game.
16 Wins
The Tigers 16 wins this season equals the fourth highest win total in program history. Princeton won 18 games in 1996, 17 in 1998 and 2001 and now 16 in 1997 and 2008.
Scoring More
Princeton has scored 81 goals this season in 18 games. That total is the third highest total in program history, four behind the 84 scored in 1997. Princeton's all-time high is 109 scored in 1996. Princeton's point and assist total also rank third in the program record books. The Tigers scored 58 goals a season ago.
Individually Ranked
Katie Reinprecht ranks 11th nationally in points per game. Kathleen Sharkey ranks 25th and Holly McGarvie is 43rd in the category.
Winning Goals
Seniors Kraftin Schreyer and Holly McGarvie tied for the team and league lead with four game-winning goals each.
Backstop
Princeton goalkeeping tandem of sophomore Jennifer King and sophomore Cynthia Wray have kept opponents to 1.42 goals per game this season. King is 9-0 with a 0.67 goals-against and a .824 save percentage. Those numbers would lead the nation if she appeared in 50% of the team's minutes. She has played in 49.21%. She also has five shutouts.