Princeton University
Harvard
Players Mentioned
Women's Water Polo Places Fifth at Easterns with Season-Ending Win
May 01, 2011 | Women's Water Polo
The Tigers never trailed in the game as Tanya Wilcox scored back-to-back goals at 4:19 and 3:10 to open the scoring and give Princeton a lead it would not relinquish until the 3:50 mark of the third period. Rigler added to the spread prior to the conclusion of the first period as she tossed in the first of her three markers at 1:09.
The Crimson responded with consecutive scores as Devan Kennifer whipped in a man-up tally with 35 seconds remaining in the opening quarter and Shannon Purcell chipped in a natural goal 65 seconds into the second period to move Harvard to within one at 3-2.
However, Princeton got the pair back in short order as Brunner and Molly McBee fired in markers at 5:50 and 4:37, respectively, to make it a 5-2 game. The teams traded goals for the remainder of the half as Purcell converted on a man-up chance at 3:05 and Shayna Price drilled in a five-meter penalty shot at 2:29 to move the Crimson within 5-4.
Once again, the Tigers countered Harvard's offensive outbursts with one of their own as Rigler (2:09) and Brunner (00:32) netted scores prior to the halftime horn to stake Princeton to a 7-4 lead at the break.
Harvard responded as Elise Molnar and Aisha Price scored at 6:49 and 4:15. Down 7-6 with over half the period left to play, Harvard registered the equalizer at the 3:50 mark as Shayna Price launched a five-meter penalty shot up-and-into the cage to conclude a 3-0 scoring run by the Crimson in the third period.
Princeton then stopped the Harvard momentum and went back ahead as Brunner and Saranna Soroka dumped shots over the head of Crimson netminder Laurel McCarthy with 1:26 and one second remaining on the period clock to tally the go-ahead and eventual game-winning goals as the Tigers slashed their way to a 9-7 lead.
The margin expanded to 11-7 with over 3:30 left in the fourth period as Rigler (4:02) and Brittany Zwirner (3:22) added insurance before Shayna Price closed out the scoreboard changes and completed a hat-trick with 2:49 let to play.
For Princeton, goalie Kristen Ward finished with 10 saves to earn the victory, while the duo of McCarthy and Shami Entenman combined for five saves between the pipes for Harvard.
The victory marks the third time this year Princeton defeated Harvard as the Tigers previously picked up 12-3 and 11-5 victories.
Harvard 1 3 3 1 - 8
Princeton 3 4 2 2 - 11
Goals: Brunner 3, Rigler 3, Wilcox 2, McBee, Soroka, Zwirner
Assists: Soroka 2, Wilcox 2, Bowles 1, McBee 1, Zak 1, Zwirner 1
Saves: Ward 10 (32:00)