Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Field Hockey Returns to Action at Yale, No. 12 Albany
September 26, 2014 | Field Hockey
| 2014 Princeton Field Hockey Week 4 Notes |
|
| Week 4 Links |
Dartmouth Video Highlights l American Video Highlights l Week 4 Game Notes (PDF) |
| Gametimes | Saturday, Sept. 27 at Yale (12 p.m.) l Johnson Field |
| Sunday, Sept. 28 vs. Albany (2 p.m.) l Alumni Turf Field | |
| Game Coverage | Yale: Live Stats l Albany: N/A |
| Twitter: @PUTigers l @PUTigers_live l @YaleAthletics l @UAlbanySports | |
| All-Time Series |
Princeton leads Yale, 38-2-3 l Princeton leads Albany, 3-0 |
| Last Meeting | Yale: Sept. 27, 2013 - W, 2-0 (Box/Recap) l Albany: Oct. 27, 2013 - W, 5-3 (Box/Recap) |
| Records (As of 9/26/14) |
Princeton (2-4) l Yale (1-5) l Albany (6-2) |
| Princeton | Roster l Schedule l Stats l @TigerFH |
| Yale |
Roster l Schedule l Stats l @YaleFieldHockey |
| Albany | Roster l Schedule l Stats l @UAlbanyFH |
AMERICAN HIGHLIGHTS
WEEK 4 GAME NOTES (PDF)
The Week that Was
Breaking into the win column, Princeton secured a pair of victories over Dartmouth and American last weekend. Opening Ivy League play with a 4-0 shutout win over the Big Green, the Tigers registered a decisive 22-6 shot advantage with a 8-4 edge in penalty corners to improve to 26-7-2 all-time against their league rival. Traveling to our nation's capital the following afternoon, the Orange and Black once again pieced together a solid all-around effort in a 2-1 victory over American University. Outshooting the Eagles 16-5, Princeton surrendered just four shots on goal to improve to 11-4 all-time against American.
Difference Maker
Serving as one the catalysts to the Princeton attack, Cat Caro posted a pair of goals and an assist en route to Ivy League Player of the Week and Suburban Transit/GoPrincetonTigers.com Athlete of the Week honors. Notching her first points of the season in the team's conference opener against the Big Green, Caro recorded a goal and an assist in a 4-0 victory. With Princeton holding onto a two-goal margin in the latter stages of the first half, Caro assisted on a Maddie Copeland goal at 25:04 to extend the Tiger lead. Just over five minutes into the second half, the Bridgewater, N.J. native backhanded a shot into the Dartmouth cage to cap off the scoring. Once again in the mix in a 2-1 win over American, Caro netted the game's first tally at the 32:30 mark of the first half. Receiving a Stephanie Goldberg pass in the middle of the circle, Caro ripped a hard shot past goalie Kate McBeath to stake the Tigers to a 1-0 advantage. Over the course of her first two seasons, Caro has collected 11 goals and five assists in 25 appearances.
Turning Things Around
Picking up its first two victories of the season, Princeton put the brakes on a four-game losing skid - the longest under the tenure of 12-year head coach Kristen Holmes-Winn. Previously, the Tigers had a pair of three-game losing streaks in 2005 and 2011. Netting just six goals in its first four games, Princeton posted six goals in a pair of contests last weekend, outshooting the competition 38-11. Giving up 12 goals in its first three outings, the Orange and Black have also tightened things up defensively, surrendering just two goals in the last 212:15 minutes. Allowing just seven shots on goal against Dartmouth and American, the Tigers held the Eagles to just one shot on goal in the second half of a 2-1 victory last Sunday.
Within Reach
With a pair of victories last week, Kristen Holmes-Winn sits just three wins shy of her 150th as the head coach of the Princeton field hockey program. Her 147 victories thus far rank second only to Beth Bozman (188) on the school's all-time charts. The Tigers have posted double-digit wins in all but two of her 12 seasons, posting a program-record 21 victories during the team's 2012 national championship run. Going 74-4 against the Ivy League, Holmes-Winn has helped guide Princeton to 10 conference titles.
Team Effort
Six different players recorded a point for a Princeton offense that produced six goals in its two weekend games against Dartmouth and American. Maddie Copeland had a pair of scores against the Big Green, while Teresa Benvenuti collected a goal and two assists. After recording a goal and an assist against Dartmouth, Caro netted her second tally of the weekend against American off a Stephanie Goldberg helper. Ryan McCarthy and Sydney Kirby linked up for the Tigers' final score in the 38th minute against the Eagles. So far in 2014, 11 different players have recorded a point for Princeton. On the defensive side, Annabeth Donovan, Kate Ferrara and Hailey Reeves have helped anchor a backline that allowed just seven shots on goal in two games. Playing all 422:15 minutes in net for Princeton this season, Anya Gersoff has posted a 2.32 goals against average with a 0.725 save percentage.
When Last We Met
Princeton shut out Yale at Bedford Field last season, 2-0. Allison Evans broke the scoreless deadlock in the game's 24th minute before the Tigers tacked on another score in the second half. Holding a decisive 25-5 shot advantage, Princeton accounted for 16 of the contest's 19 penalty corners. Anya Gersoff made two saves in the win. The Orange and Black upended Albany in 2013, 5-3. Netting four goals during a 13-plus minute span in the first half, the Tigers jumped out to an early lead. Scoring the game's next three goals, Albany trimmed the deficit to one, but Princeton answered with the contest's fifth and final tally in the 51st minute. Cat Caro had a pair of goals, while Evans dished out two assists. Princeton finished with a 13-9 shot advantage and a slim 6-5 edge in penalty corners. Gersoff made five stops.
Rivalries Renewed
Princeton is 38-2-3 all-time against Yale. Taking the inaugural meeting in 1971 by a score of 3-2, the Tigers won each of the first five showdowns between the Ivy League rivals. Outscoring Princeton 3-0, the Bulldogs emerged victorious in 1976 and 1977 - representing the last wins for Yale over Princeton. After battling to a tie in 1980 (0-0), 1983 (1-1) and 1984 (0-0), the Orange and Black have since won each of the last 29 match-ups. Against Albany, Princeton holds a 3-0 all-time record. Defeating the Great Danes in 2005 (3-0), the Tigers also secured victories over their northern rivals in 2008 (6-3) and 2013 (5-3).
Scouting Yale
Yale enters Saturday's showdown in the midst of a three-game losing streak. Dropping a pair of games to Harvard (4-1) and Boston University (3-2) last weekend, the Bulldogs have been outscored 15-8 in 2014. Kelsey Nolan accounted for the lone Yale goal against Harvard as the Crimson finished with a 19-5 shot advantage and a 9-3 edge in penalty corners. Holding onto a 2-1 second-half lead against Boston University, the Bulldogs saw the Terriers come up with the equalizer at 68:59 before eventually winning it on a Rachel Coll game winner 3:22 into overtime. Jessie Accurso and Carol Middough scored for Yale, who was outshot 20-13. Heather Schlesler made nine saves in the loss. Accurso and Nolan currently lead the team in points (4) with two goals apiece, while Middough, Danee Fitzgerald, Katie Smith and Nicole Wells each have a goal. Schlesler has seen the majority of the time in net, posting a 2.43 GAA and 0.746 save percentage.
Scouting Albany
Albany went 1-1 last weekend, defeating No. 9 Stanford (1-0) before dropping a 3-2 overtime decision to No. 3 Virginia. Echo Bretz had the game's only goal against the Cardinal, breaking through at 34:59. Albany finished with a 12-3 shot advantage and a 6-2 edge in penalty corners. Down 2-0 at the intermission, Albany netted a pair of second-half goals to draw even with Virginia before eventually falling in overtime. Amy Nicklin and Kelly Bonner had the Great Dane scores, while goalie Maxi Primus made five saves. Paula Heuser currently leads the team with 22 points (9 G, 4 A). Primus has been stellar in net with a 0.96 GAA and 0.833 save percentage in 562:52 minutes.