Players Mentioned
No. 11 Princeton Water Polo Set to Open CWPA Conference Play at Bucknell
February 27, 2015 | Women's Water Polo
PRINCETON, N.J. – The 11th-ranked Princeton University women's water polo team opens conference play this weekend in at Bucknell University's Kinney Natatorium in Lewisburg, Pa.
The Tigers will take on Bucknell and Hartwick on Saturday, Feb. 28 before squaring off with Gannon and Mercyhurst on Sunday, Mar. 1.
Princeton is 38-7 all-time against Bucknell, having won each of the last eight meetings. The Tigers are 10-11 against Hartwick and a combined 11-0 against Gannon and Mercyhurst.
COMPLETE CWPA WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Saturday, Feb. 28
Game 1 -- Bucknell vs. Princeton, 10:20 a.m.
Game 2 -- Hartwick vs. George Washington, 11:40 a.m.
Game 3 -- Mercyhurst vs. Harvard, 1 p.m.
Game 4 -- Gannon vs. Brown, 2:20 p.m.
Game 5 -- Hartwick vs. Princeton, 3:40 p.m.
Game 6 -- Bucknell vs. George Washington, 5 p.m.
Game 7 -- Mercyhurst vs. Brown, 6:20 p.m.
Sunday, March 1
Game 8 -- Bucknell vs. Harvard, 9 a.m. (Video: Patriot League Network)
Game 9 -- Mercyhurst vs. George Washington, 10:20 a.m.
Game 10 -- Gannon vs. Princeton, 11:40 a.m.
Game 11 -- Bucknell vs. Brown, 1 p.m. (Video: Patriot League Network)
Game 12 -- Harvard vs. Hartwick, 2:20 p.m.
Game 13 -- Mercyhurst vs. Princeton, 3:40 p.m.
Game 14 -- Gannon vs. George Washington, 5 p.m.
THE WEEK THAT WAS
• Princeton laid claim to the inaugural Ivy League Championship with a 9-4 win over Brown University.
• The Tigers opened the tournament with a 12-1 triumph over Dartmouth.
• Due to the Big Green's club team status, only the game against Brown will count toward Princeton's 2015 record as the Orange and Black improved to 7-1 overall.
• Leading 4-3 at the intermission, Princeton accounted for two of the three goals in the third quarter. Pulling away late, the Tigers held a 3-0 scoring edge in the final eight minutes.
• Jessie Holechek had four goals on six shots to lead the Princeton attack.
• Haley Wan had three goals and an assist, while Taylor Dunstan and Kimi Klein also found the back of the net.
• Helena van Brande made nine saves.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
• Winners of five straight, Princeton checked in at No. 11 in the latest CWPA varsity top-20 poll.
• The Tigers are 2-1 against ranked opponents this season having defeated No. 15 Long Beach State (W, 12-7) and No. 17 Wagner (W, 9-6). Princeton's only setback of the year came by way of 9-8 overtime loss to No. 16 Indiana.
• Princeton debuted at No. 10 in the preseason poll before climbing into a tie for ninth in the Week 2 edition.
• The Tigers dropped to No. 14 in the Week 4 poll following a loss to Indiana before moving back up three spots to No. 11.
WEEKLY HONORS
• Haley Wan and Helena van Brande each earned a spot on the CWPA weekly honor roll for their performances at the Ivy League Championship.
• Making nine saves in the Ivy title game against Brown, van Brande secured a spot on the Defensive Player of the Week honor roll.
• Off to a stellar start, van Brande also garnered Rookie of the Week accolades on Feb. 9 before splitting Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors with teammate Ashleigh Johnson on Feb. 16.
• Wan received recognition on the CWPA Player and Rookie of the Week honor rolls after going 2-0 on sprints with three goals and an assist against Brown.
• Wan has a team-best 12 assists on the year, with a season-high four helpers against Harvard on Feb. 7. The rookie also has eight goals to her credit, including two hat tricks (Iona – 2/8; Brown – 2/22).
• van Brande has posted four wins in her first four collegiate starts, stopping 53 of the 72 shots she has faced en route to a 0.736 save percentage.
CONSISTENTLY AHEAD
• Princeton has more than doubled up its opposition this season, holding a 99-47 scoring advantage.
• The Tigers have been especially good in the first quarter, registering a +17 goal differential (27-10).
• Aside from a 1-2 scoring deficit in overtime, the Orange and Black's lowest goal differential is +11 (23-12) in the second period.
• Princeton owns a +12 (24-12) goal differential in the third and is +13 (24-11) in the final frame.
SHARING THE WEALTH
• Each of the Tigers' 15 field players has recorded a point this season, with all but one registering a goal.
• Nine different players have at least five goals, while three Tigers have at least 10 scores.
• With six multi-goal games to her credit, Jessie Holechek leads the squad with 18 goals and six assists.
• Recording a team-high .615 shooting percentage, Ashley Hatcher has 16 goals and three assists.
• Morgan Hallock has collected 10 scores and a pair of helpers.
• Seven different Tigers have at least five assists, led by Haley Wan with 12.
• Camille Hooks and Taylor Dunstan have seven assists apiece.