Princeton University Athletics
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Princeton Hosts Stanford Tuesday in NCAA Play-In Game
November 09, 2008 | Field Hockey
NCAA Tournament Play-In Game
Stanford at No. 11 Princeton
GAMETIME: Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 1 p.m.
2008 RECORDS: Princeton (15-2, 7-0 Ivy); Stanford (9-10, 4-2 NorPac)
SERIES RECORD: Stanford leads 1-0-0 and the teams have never met in Princeton
LAST MEETING: Stanford won 4-2 on Oct. 28, 1990 at home
STREAK: Stanford won the only meeting
The Ivy League champion Princeton field hockey team will play for a spot in the 2008 NCAA tournament on Tuesday afternoon when it hosts NorPac champion Stanford at 1 p.m., at Class of '52 Stadium. The winner of the game will receive an automatic bid to the tournament.
Live video and livestats from Tuesday's game will be available free of charge on GoPrincetonTigers.com.
Princeton enters the game 15-2 overall and has won its last six games entering Tuesday's contest. Princeton has won those six games by a combined score of 30-6 and has shutouts in three of its last four games.
The Tigers completed the regular season last Friday with a 5-0 blanking of Penn at home, which was their fourth Ivy League shutout and sixth overall shutout of the season. On Friday, the Tigers had goals from five different scorers as senior Sarah Reinprecht and freshman Katie Reinprecht led the way with a goal and an assist each. In addition to Katie Reinprecht's goal, senior Holly McGarvie and freshman Kathleen Sharkey also scored as the trio continues to lead the team with 12 goals each.
Princeton has also received strong goalkeeping of late as sophomore Jennifer King improved to 8-0 with the win over Penn. She has five shutouts this season with a 0.50 goals-against average and a .867 save percentage. Both numbers would lead the nation, but King is not eligible in the national statistics, as she has not appeared in 50% of the team's minutes. She has appeared in 46%.
Princeton's win over Penn also completed a perfect Ivy League season for the Tigers, who went 7-0 in league competition. It was the 12th undefeated Ivy League season for the Tigers. Princeton also claimed its 17th overall Ivy League title and its 13th in the last 14 years. In addition it was Princeton's fourth in a row, making the members of Princeton's senior class four-time Ivy champions. The Tigers have gone 27-1 in league play the last four seasons.
Princeton enters Tuesday's game with an eye on the NCAA tournament and its 13th overall appearance. Princeton received automatic bids the in 12 of those appearances. Princeton has appeared in two play-in games, winning its way into the tournament field in 1996 over Patriot League Champion Colgate, and falling last season to A-10 Champion Massachusetts.
Princeton will meet NorPac Champion Stanford in Tuesday's play-in game. The Cardinal claimed the NorPac Championship on Saturday afternoon by defeating top-seeded California 2-1 in double-overtime in the league's championship game. Stanford was the second seed entering the tournament and defeated Davidson, Pacific and California to win the league crown.
Stanford is 9-10 overall and was 4-2 in the NorPac this season and has won its last four games. Princeton and Stanford did not face any common opponents this season. The Cardinal also played in a play-in game last season, defeated NEC champion Lock Haven at home to move onto the tournament where the fell in the opening round to top-seed North Carolina. Tuesday's game between Princeton and Stanford will be the second meeting between the schools. Stanford won the first meeting in October of 1990.
The game is one of three play-in games schedule for Tuesday. The other games feature Northeast Conference champion Lock Haven at Patriot League champion American and MAC champion Kent State at A10 champion Massachusetts. Five conference champions have already received automatic bids to the NCAA tournament. They are Albany (America East), Maryland (ACC), Syracuse (Big East), Iowa (Big Ten), and James Madison (CAA). The next three teams will come from the play-in games and the final eight will be at-large selections.
The 2008 NCAA Field Hockey tournament field will be announced on Tuesday evening at 8 p.m., live on NCAASports.com.