Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Field Hockey Visits Columbia, Hosts American This Weekend
September 30, 2010 | Field Hockey
GAMETIME: Friday, Oct. 1 at 6 p.m.
2010 RECORDS: Princeton (7-0, 2-0 Ivy); Columbia (4-3, 1-1 Ivy)
RANKINGS: Princeton (Poll: 4, RPI: 1), Columbia (Poll: NR, RPI: 55)
SERIES RECORD: Princeton leads 13-0 overall and 6-0 at Columbia
LAST MEETING: Princeton won 4-0 on Oct. 2, 2009 at home
STREAK: Princeton has won the last 13 meetings
LINKS: Livestats
No. 14 American at No. 4 Princeton
GAMETIME: Sunday, Oct. 3 at 1 p.m.
2010 RECORDS: Princeton (7-0, 2-0 Ivy); American (7-2, 0-0 Patriot)
RANKINGS: Princeton (Poll: 4, RPI: 1), American (Poll: 14, RPI: 20)
SERIES RECORD: Princeton leads 9-2 overall and 5-0 at home
LAST MEETING: Princeton won 3-2 on Oct. 11, 2009 at American
STREAK: Princeton has won the last two meetings
LINKS: Live Video | Livestats
PRINCETON (9/30/10) - The Princeton field hockey team looks to extend its season-opening win streak when it visits Columbia and hosts American this weekend. Princeton knocked off top-ranked Maryland on Tuesday and will look to carry the momentum into this weekend against an Ivy opponent and a top 15 team.
The Tigers ran their win streak to seven games with a 4-2 win against Maryland on Tuesday. The Tigers never trailed in the win as Katie Reinprecht gave Princeton a two-goal lead at the half and Kathleen Sharkey and Molly Goodman added second-half goals after Maryland trimmed the lead to one twice in the half.
Sharkey assisted on both of Reinprecht's goal, while Reinprecht had the assist on Sharkey's goal. Sharkey's goal and four points added to her nation's best totals in both categories. Reinprecht now has six goals this season to rank second on the team and Goodman's five ranks third.
Princeton's win was its second-ever against a team atop the national polls and the first since Princeton defeated Old Dominion on Nov. 11, 2001 in the NCAA quarterfinals. It was also Princeton's first win over Maryland since the 1998 season and snapped a 13-game skid at the hands of the Terrapins.
Princeton's 7-0 start is the fourth best start to a season in Princeton field hockey history. The record for wins to start the year was set in 1998 when the Tigers won their first 11 contests.
Princeton's 2-0 Ivy League record comes with wins over Dartmouth and Yale. Princeton has scored seven or more goals in five straight Ivy League games dating back to last season and has won 18 straight Ivy League games dating back to the 2007 season.
The Tigers jump back into league play this weekend with a trip to Columbia on Friday night. Princeton and Cornell are currently tied atop the league standings with 2-0 records. Columbia is one of four league teams with a 1-1 record. Cornell hosts 1-1 Yale this weekend.
Princeton and Columbia have met 13 times on the field hockey pitch and the Tigers have won all 13 games. Princeton blanked the Lions 4-0 a season ago in a dominant performance. The Tigers outshot Columbia 26-1 in the game and outcornered the Lions 13-1. Julia Reinprecht, Goodman and Sharkey all scored in the win.
Columbia is 4-3 overall and 1-1 in the Ivy League. The Lions opened the season with three-straight wins but have gone 1-3 in the three games since. Columbia has wins over Vermont, Hofstra, West Chester and Brown, but lost to Villanova, Providence and Cornell. In its most recent game, Columbia fell to Cornell 3-2 in double overtime last Friday.
The Tigers complete the weekend on Sunday by hosting 14th-ranked American. The game is Princeton's Play 4 the Cure game. Princeton will wear white and pink jerseys and the game will be played with pink balls to help promote awareness in the battle against cancer.
Princeton and American have played 11 times overall with the Tigers holding a 9-2 series edge. Princeton is 5-0 in the series at home and edged the Eagles by a goal last season 3-2. Princeton rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits in the game and Sharkey scored the game winner with less than a minute remaining. Julia Reinprecht also scored in the win.
American currently ranks 14th in the latest coaches poll. The Eagles are currently 7-2 overall and open their Patriot League slate on Saturday at Lehigh. American enters the weekend with six-straight wins including triumphs over Massachusetts, James Madison, Temple and Saint Joseph's in the last two weekends. Both of American's losses have come to ranked opponents in one-goal losses to Old Dominion and Louisville.
Following this weekend, Princeton will take a break from Ivy play next week and take on a pair of Top 10 opponents in third-ranked Virginia and 10th-ranked Louisville. Princeton visits Virginia on Friday and hosts Louisville on Sunday.