Princeton University Athletics
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Field Hockey Blanks Penn State 3-0
September 24, 2009 | Field Hockey
PRINCETON (9/23/09) -- The seventh-ranked Princeton field hockey team jumped back into the win column with a 3-0 shutout of Penn State on Wednesday night at Class of '52 Stadium. Freshman Michelle Cesan had a goal and an assist to help Princeton to the victory.
Princeton, which had its season-opening five-game win streak snapped in its last outing at Providence, improved to 5-1 with a methodical win over the Nittany Lions. Princeton outshot Penn State 25-8.
Penn State had the first two good chances of the game, but couldn't convert on either. In the second minute Daneen Zug chased down a ball that she slid by Princeton junior goalkeeper Jennifer King who came out to challenge her, but senior Kaitlyn Perrelle was able to track it down in the circle and clear it. Penn State had another chance in third minute off a corner, but the shot attempt was too high.
Princeton countered in the fifth minute with a break the other way that resulted in sophomore Kathleen Sharkey's team-leading eighth goal of the season. Cesan carried the ball from midfield into the Penn State end before feeding the ball to Sharkey, who sent a backhanded lob into the far side of the goal.
The Tigers other two goals came in the second half as it slowly pulled away from Penn State. In the 42nd minute, Cesan scored on a penalty corner. After inserting the ball she went to the near post and awaited a cross from the sophomore Katie Reinprecht, which she directed into the net for fourth goal of the season.
Princeton made the score 3-0 five minutes later when Perrelle notched her fourth of the season off the third successive rebound in front of the Penn State goal. Sharkey had the first two shots in the sequence, which were two of her 10 for the game.
Meanwhile in the Tiger cage, King made five saves for her first shutout of the season and the seventh of her career. Penn State's Ali Meves made 14 saves.
The win improved Princeton to 6-1 this season and was Princeton's third straight over Penn State. The Tigers return to Ivy League action on Saturday afternoon when they host Yale at 12 noon.