Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
ECACs Up Next for Women's Water Polo Team
February 24, 2011 | Women's Water Polo
LINKS: The Field | ECAC Schedule
PRINCETON (2/24/11) - The 20th-ranked Princeton women's water polo team returns to action this weekend at the 2011 ECAC Championships, hosted by Bucknell at Kinney Natatorium. Princeton went 3-1 to open the season two weekends ago at the Princeton Invitational and will open ECACs on Saturday morning against Wagner.
Princeton got off to a good start when it opened the season on Feb. 12 and 13 at home. The Tigers swept George Washington and Brown on the opening day of competition, before splitting against two western teams on the second day, topping Colorado State in overtime and falling in a tight game with 19th-ranked Pacific. Princeton outscored its opponents 36-21 in the four games.
Brittany Zwirner led all players with eight goals during the opening weekend and added five assists and 11 steals, resulting in her being named the Southern Player of the Week. Katie Rigler scored six goals over the four games while Rachele Gyorffy and Molly McBee scored five goals apiece. In all, 13 of Princeton's 15 field players scored at least once in the four games.
Goalkeeper Kristen Ward made 26 saves over the four games in the Princeton goal and earned Defensive Player of the Week honors. She allowed single goals in the wins over George Washington and Brown, helped Princeton to the overtime win over Colorado State and held Pacific to six goals, four of which came on ejections.
This weekend Princeton will play three times at the ECAC Championships, opening on Saturday morning against Wagner and continuing late on Saturday against either Marist or Maryland. Princeton is the tournament's top seed after finishing as the tournament runner-up last season. Princeton has seven ECAC Championships and last won the event in the 2007 season. In last year's ECACs, Princeton defeated both Iona and Maryland to get to the title game but was edged by Brown for the championship.
Princeton opens the weekend against Wagner. The Tigers are 5-0 all-time against Wagner, most recently winning 9-4 last season at the San Diego State Invitational. Princeton also has an ECAC win over Wagner in 2006.
Princeton returns home next weekend to play three CWPA games. The Tigers will face Indiana and George Washington next Saturday and then host Hartwick on Sunday.
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2-seed Bucknell |
3-seed Brown All-Time Series: Princeton leads 16-5 ECAC Series: Princeton leads 3-2 Neutral Sites: Princeton leads 7-1 Last Meeting: Princeton 12, Brown 1 (2/13/11) |
4-seed Marist All-Time Series: Princeton leads 7-0 ECAC Series: No Meetings Neutral Sites: Princeton leads 3-0 Last Meeting: Princeton 10, Marist 9 (2/21/09) |
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5-seed Maryland |
6-seed Harvard All-Time Series: Princeton leads 21-1 ECAC Series: Princeton leads 4-1 Neutral Sites: Princeton leads 6-0 Last Meeting: Princeton 12, Harvard 6 (3/6/10) |
7-seed Iona All-Time Series: Princeton leads 6-1 ECAC Series: Princeton leads 4-0 Neutral Sites: Princeton leads 4-0 Last Meeting: Princeton 13, Wagner 9 (2/27/10) |
| 8-seed Wagner All-Time Series: Princeton leads 5-0 ECAC Series: Princeton leads 1-0 Neutral Sites: Princeton leads 2-0 Last Meeting: Princeton 9, Wagner 4 (3/14/10) |
Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 26-27, 2011
Kinney Natatorium, Lewisburg, Pa.
Saturday, Feb. 26
Game 1 -- Princeton vs. Wagner, 9 a.m.
Game 2 -- Marist vs. Maryland, 10:30 a.m.
Game 3 -- Bucknell vs. Iona, 12 p.m.
Game 4 -- Brown vs. Harvard, 1:30 p.m.
Game 5 -- Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 1, 4 p.m.
Game 6 -- Loser Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 5:30 p.m.
Game 7 -- Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 7 p.m.
Game 8 -- Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 27
7th Place -- Loser Game 6 vs. Loser Game 5, 10 a.m.
5th Place -- Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 11:30 a.m.
3rd Place -- Loser Game 8 vs. Loser Game 7, 1 p.m.
1st Place -- Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 2:30 p.m.