Princeton University Athletics
Saturday, November 12
State College, Pa.
11:30 a.m.
Princeton University
at
Penn State
Players Mentioned
MF
/ Field Hockey
ST
/ Field Hockey
ST
/ Field Hockey
MF/B
/ Field Hockey
Photo by: Beverly Schaefer
No. 14 Princeton Ready For NCAA Battle Vs. No. 5 Penn State
November 10, 2016 | Field Hockey
| NCAA Game Notes: No. 5 Penn State | |
| Gametimes | Saturday, Nov. 12 - 11:30 a.m. l Penn State Field Hockey Complex |
| Game Coverage | Live Stats / Penn State Video |
| @PUTigers l @GoPSUSports | |
| All-Time Series | Penn State leads Princeton, 26-10 |
| Last Meeting | Oct. 2, 2016 - No. 5 Penn State 4, No. 11 Princeton 2 (Recap) |
| No. 18 Princeton | Roster l Schedule l 2016 Stats l @TigerFH |
| Penn State | Roster l Schedule l Stats l@PennStateFH |
| Related Links | Game Notes |
How Did We Get Here?
Princeton is 10-7 overall and went 5-2 in the Ivy League. The Tigers boasted two top-20 wins, taking down then-No. 12 Albany (Sept. 9) and then-No. 10 Delaware (Sept. 11). The No. 14 nationally ranked Tigers have a RPI of 13 and received the program's first at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament last Sunday. It's the ninth straight season that the Tigers have reached NCAAs and 21st overall. The winner of the PSU/PRIN game will take on winner of Virginia and Michigan - which will also be played at Penn State Field Hockey Complex. The winner of each game will advance play in the NCAA quarterfinals on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 2 p.m. ET for a chance to go to the Final Four in Virginia on Nov. 18-20.
Ivy League Honors
The No. 14 Princeton Tigers had five players named to the All-Ivy teams, the conference announced this week, including senior Cat Caro as the Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year. Caro along with freshman Maddie Bacskai and junior Ryan McCarthy were picked to the first team All-Ivy, sophomore Sophia Tornetta received second team All-Ivy honors while sophomore Elise Wong was honorable mention All-Ivy League.
Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year
The fourth Tiger to be named Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year in the last five years, Caro was one of four players to be unanimously picked for the first team. The senior had a stellar season with a career-high 15 goals and 35 points. Caro has registered a point in 13 of the team's 17 games and sits 15th in the country in points per game (2.19). Caro has been an All-Ivy player each of the past three seasons with two second-team distinctions in 2014 and 2015.
Breakout Performance
After scoring 12 goals in her first two seasons at Princeton, Ryan McCarthy broke through in 2016 with 12 goals and a career-high 29 points. McCarthy led the team with four game-winning tallies, putting the Tigers on top vs. then-No. 10 Delaware, American, Columbia and Towson. This is the third straight season that she has been picked for the All-Ivy team with an honorable mention in 2014 and second team selection in 2015.
Defense, Defense, Defense
Maddie Bacskai and Elise Wong have been a crucial members of the team's defensive unit. The Tigers rank inside the top-20 nationally in goals-against-average (17th, 1.55) and have posted four shutouts this season. In Princeton's 8-0 victory over Towson, the backline did not allow a shot, marking the second time in back-to-back years that the team accomplished that feat. Princeton's defense was fabulous in Ivy League play, allowing just 3.9 shots per game and eight goals total. Bacskai added two goals and two assists while Wong had five helpers this season. The sophomore was All-Ivy first team in 2015.
No Sophomore Slump
Sophia Tornetta, despite missing seven games because of injuries, posted an outstanding campaign with 22 points in 10 games. Her 2.2 points per game would place her 15th in the nation if she qualified. Tornetta scored a goal in seven outings and secured a point in every game except for one. The sophomore tied her career high with two goals and set a new benchmark with five points vs. then-No. 12 Albany (Sept. 9). She also had a new personal record with three helpers vs. Penn (Nov. 5). Last season, Tornetta was first team All-Ivy League and the conference's Rookie of the Year.
Stars and Stripes
Cat Caro, Sophia Tornetta and Maddie Bacskai were on the United States U-21 women's national field hockey team that scored a silver medal at the Junior Pan American Tournament on Apr. 9. The trio, most recently, was selected to U-21 national team's roster for the Women's Hockey Junior World Cup this November. Katie Reinprecht '13, Julia Reinprecht '14 and Kathleen Sharkey '13 were named to the United States field hockey team that placed fifth at the 2016 Rio Olympics. It was the team's highest finish since 1996.
Penn State Nittany Lions
The 2016 Big Ten Tournament Champion, Penn State Nittany Lions, are 17-2 on the season and sit No. 5 in the final NFHCA Coaches' Poll. The Nittany Lions captured their conference record seventh Big Ten Championship title and most recent since winning the tournament in back-to-back season in 2011 and 2012.
Series History
Penn State holds a 26-10 all-time record against Princeton. The two teams have split their last six matchups including Penn State's 4-2 victory earlier this year. These two top-20 teams have faced off 10 times in the postseason including three battles in the NCAA quarterfinals and five matches in the first round. Princeton won the last postseason contest between the two squads with a 5-4 decision in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
The Tigers are 5-7 all-time vs. Virginia include a 2-0 loss on the road this year. Princeton's signature victory over Virginia was a 5-2 decision on the road in the 2012 NCAA Quarterfinals. The Tigers would go on to win the National Championship that season. Princeton is 1-1 in two meetings with Michigan, both of which took place in the postseason. The Wolverines defeated the Tigers in the 2001 NCAA semifinals while the Tigers got revenge with a victory in the first round of next season's NCAA Tournament.
Scouting Penn State
One of the best offenses in the country, the Nittany Lions rank in the top 20 nationally in scoring margin (4th, 2.58), scoring average (4th, 2.58), points (4th, 11.2), goals (4th 4.1), penalty corners per game (5th, 8.3) and assists per game (6th, 3.1). Penn State has four players among the top 12 in points per game in the Big Ten including Moira Putsch (2.68) who's fifth in the country. Skyler Fretz' five defensive saves are ninth in the nation while goalie Jenny Rizzo had the second lowest GAA in the Big Ten (1.54).
Scouting Virginia/Michigan
At 15-7 overall, the Virginia Cavaliers won the American Coast Conference (ACC) Championship to receive the conference's at-large bid. The Cavaliers feature the ACC Offensive Player of the Year in Tara Vittese, who sits with 13 goals and 11 assists. Lucy Hyams was also All-ACC first team, posting nine goals and 11 assists. Carrera Lucas ranks inside the top 30 in the NCAA in GAA with 1.91.
The Michigan Wolverines went 12-7 in 2016 and sit No. 10 in the NFHCA Coaches' Poll. A well-balanced offense, Michigan has three players, Carly Bennett, Emma Way and Courtney Enge, leading the team in goals (six). Sam Swenson is seventh in all of Division-I in save percentage (.763) and eighth in GAA (1.28).
Â
Sights and Sounds: Field Hockey 2025 Ivy League Tournament Championship
Wednesday, November 12
Princeton Athletics 2023-24 Highlights
Tuesday, June 04
Reflections from the Princeton Athletics Class of 2023
Friday, June 02
Field Hockey Senior Day 2022
Wednesday, November 02