Princeton University Athletics
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Princeton Field Hockey Opens 2009 Season This Weekend
September 04, 2009 | Field Hockey
GAMETIME: Sat, Sept. 5 at 2 p.m.
2009 RECORDS: Princeton (0-0, 0-0 Ivy); Ohio State (1-2, 0-0 Big 10)
SERIES RECORD: Princeton leads 1-0, have not played at a neutral site
LAST MEETING: Princeton won 2-0 on Sept. 17, 1996 at home
STREAK: Princeton won the last meeting
No. 7 Princeton at No. 3 Syracuse
GAMETIME: Sunday, Sept. 6 at 2 p.m.
2009 RECORDS: Princeton (0-0, 0-0 Ivy); Syracuse (3-0, 0-0 Big East)
SERIES RECORD: Princeton leads 7-3, is 3-1 at Syracuse
LAST MEETING: Syracuse won 3-2 in overtime on Nov. 18, 2008 at home
STREAK: Syracuse won the last meeting
PRINCETON (9/4) - Two weeks after beginning the preseason and a week after most teams started their schedules; the seventh-ranked Princeton field hockey team will open its 2009 campaign this weekend with games against 18th-ranked Ohio State and third-ranked Syracuse.
Princeton received the seventh ranking in the Kookaburra/NFHCA Preseason Poll released a week ago. The ranking was two spots better than Princeton's final ranking in the poll last season when the Tigers advanced to the National quarterfinals. Princeton also finished 2008 as the fifth-ranked team in RPI. Princeton was one of four schools in the poll to receive a first-place vote in the poll.
The 2008 Tigers were 17-3 and played in the NCAA Quarterfinals for the second time in three seasons. Princeton's 17 wins tied for second in program history for wins in a season with the 1998 and 2001 season and was just one behind the program high of 18 in 1996. The 17 wins was Princeton's highest total since the 2001 season and the most in a season for sixth-year head coach Kristen Holmes-Winn. The Tigers also won their fourth consecutive Ivy League title and the team's 14th in the past 15 seasons.
Princeton returns 15 players from its 2008 roster, seven of which saw action during Princeton's NCAA tournament games last season. The returning group is led by sophomore Katie Reinprecht, the reigning Ivy League Player of the Year, senior Christina Bortz, Princeton's leading active scorer, and sophomore Kathleen Sharkey, the 2008 Ivy League Rookie of the Year. In addition to its 15 returning players, the Tigers welcome a class of six talented freshmen to its roster.
The Tigers have played two scrimmages since commencing practice, picking up a pair of lopsided wins over the University of Toronto and Penn. Princeton defeated Toronto 8-1 last Friday at Yale and then topped Penn 8-0 on Sunday afternoon at Class of '52 Stadium.
Princeton opens the season against Ohio State in its first game against the Big 10 school since a meeting in 1996 at home. The Buckeyes are 1-2 this season after opening last weekend at home against 12th-ranked James Madison and Saint Louis. JMU 1-0 edged the Buckeyes in a defensive-minded battle before Ohio State broke out offensively in a 7-0 shutout of the Billicans. Berta Queralt led the OSU offensively in the win with three goals and two assists. Ohio State met Syracuse on Friday afternoon and dropped a 3-2 decision.
The Tigers complete the opening weekend with Syracuse in a rematch of last season's NCAA quarterfinal match-up that the Orange took 3-2 in overtime to advance to the NCAA semifinals. Sharkey opened the scoring in the game's first minute, but two Orange goals in the next 10 minutes gave Syracuse a lead that would last into the second half before then-senior Sarah Reinprecht evened the score at 2-2. From that point through the end of regulation and into overtime the game went end-to-end with good scoring chances at both ends, but it wasn't a happy ending for the Tigers as Syracuse scored in the 84th minute to advance to the semifinals.
Princeton is 7-3 all-time against the Orange, but last season's meeting marked the first game between the teams since the 2001 season. Princeton is 3-1 in games played at Syracuse and is 4-2 in the series at home. Syracuse opened its season a week ago on the road with 2-1 win at Northeastern and a 5-2 win at New Hampshire. The Orange defeated Ohio State on Friday and enter Sunday' game 3-0.