Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Field Hockey Team Visits UConn For NCAA Tournament
November 11, 2011 | Field Hockey
Princeton vs. #5 Connecticut
GAMETIME: Saturday, Nov. 12 at 11:30 a.m.
RECORDS: Princeton (10-7, 6-1 Ivy); UConn (17-2, 6-0 Big East)
SERIES RECORD: UConn leads 11-7 overall, 7-3 at home
LAST MEETING: UConn won 3-1 on Oct. 16, 2011 at home
STREAK: Connecticut won the last meeting
LINKS: Video | Livestats | Interactive Tournament Bracket
PRINCETON (11/11/11) - The Princeton field hockey team opens up the 2011 NCAA Field Hockey Championships this Saturday at 11:30 a.m., when it faces fifth-ranked Connecticut. Princeton is making its 16th NCAA tournament appearance.
Princeton won its 20th Ivy League Championship, seventh in a row and 17th in the last 18 years when it clinched a share of the title by shutting out Penn 3-0 last Friday night. Princeton shared the title with Yale, but earned the league's berth in the NCAA play-in game by beating Yale head-to-head in late September.
Princeton faced Northeast Conference champion Rider on Tuesday at home for the chance to play its way into the NCAA tournament field and succeeded when Sydney Kirby scored in double overtime to lift Princeton to a 1-0 win.
As a result Princeton will make its 16th NCAA tournament appearance and is 17-15 overall in its previous 15 trips to the tourney. Last season the Tigers defeated Wake Forest in the opening round of the tournament, but fell at Virginia in the quarterfinal. It was Princeton's third straight quarterfinal appearances and the fourth time in five years that Princeton has played in the national quarterfinals.
Princeton has played in 14 of the last 17 national tournaments.
On Wednesday the Ivy League released its All-League teams for the 2011 season and the Tigers placed seven players on the teams. Freshman Allison Evans, Princeton's leading goal scorer, took home the league's Rookie of the Year Award and was a first-team All-Ivy. Amanda Bird, Charlotte Krause and Alyssa Pyros joined her on the first team. Teammates Erin Jennings and Kirby were second-team selections and Amy Donovan was an honorable mention.
Princeton opens the tournament against Connecticut in the second meeting of the season between the schools. The Huskies defeated Princeton 3-1 at home on Oct. 16 as Anne Jeute scored twice. Kirby had the Princeton goal. UConn leads Princeton 11-7 all-time and 7-3 at home. The teams have alternated wins and losses in their last four meetings.
Connecticut is 17-2 overall and went 6-0 in the Big East regular season. The Huskies though enter the NCAA tournament off a loss after falling to Syracuse 3-2 in the Big East championship game last Sunday.
Should Princeton win on Saturday, the Tigers would face the winner of the first-round game between Penn State and Northeastern. Princeton defeated Penn State 4-3 earlier this season, while the Tigers and Northeastern last played in the 2005 season.
The team that comes out of the UConn regional will advance to the National Semifinals next Friday at Louisville. The other three regional sites are North Carolina, Old Dominion and Maryland.