Neff Scores Twice As No. 14 Princeton Earns 3-0 Decision Over Columbia

Friday, October 6

Princeton, N.J.

6:30 PM

Princeton University

(6-5 (3-0Ivy))

Columbia

(5-5 (2-1Ivy))

Columbia

Princeton

Photo by: Beverly Schaefer

Neff Scores Twice As No. 14 Princeton Earns 3-0 Decision Over Columbia

October 06, 2017 | Field Hockey

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PRINCETON, N.J. – Behind two goals from MaryKate Neff, the No. 14 Princeton Tigers dropped the Columbia Lions, 3-0, at Bedford Field on Friday evening.

Princeton broke through in the 12th minute as Emma Street snagged her first collegiate goal. Street came up with a loose ball in the circle and hit a reverse shot behind the goalie.

Here's Emma's first career goal! Tigers up 1-0, 21:49 left in the first half. pic.twitter.com/6tJEuf8Bsa
— Princeton FH (@TigerFH) October 6, 2017

Columbia had a penalty corner a few minutes later, but the ball was blocked.

Street was looking for her second tally of the contest as she deflected another shot that Columbia's goalie Katie Dempsey came up with. Princeton picked up two corners one minute later, but couldn't get an attempt through.

Ryan McCarthy had her first threat with 10 minutes to go in the first half as she blew by a defender and sent a blast towards the cage, but Clara Roth just missed the deflection.

The senior captain came close to getting her first goal of the game two and half minutes into the second half, but Columbia's Maeve Doherty collected a defensive save. Another attempt from McCarthy knocked off the post in the 38th minute as the score remained 1-0.

Columbia was awarded a corner in the 45th minute, but Elise Wong blocked the shot.

After three more shots from the Tigers, the home team executed a corner for its second goal of the matchup with 13:18 to go. Roth inserted to Neff and her shot hit off a Lions' defender and trickled through.

Another look of MK's fourth goal of the season. 13:16 to go in the game. pic.twitter.com/URRtvyVdJL
— Princeton FH (@TigerFH) October 6, 2017

It would take Neff just 25 seconds to add on. McCarthy picked up the ball and went streaking along the left sideline. Her pass found the stick of Julianna Tornetta, who punched one towards the cage that was redirected in by Neff.

MK's second of the night puts the Tigers in front by three. 11:26 left pic.twitter.com/Op68elvtZe
— Princeton FH (@TigerFH) October 6, 2017

The Tigers completed the game with a 19-4 shot advantage and 9-3 lead in penalty corners. McCarthy lead the squad with seven shots while Sophia Tornetta added four.

Princeton improved to 6-5 overall and 3-0 in the Ivy League. The Tigers are tied with No. 13 Harvard (3-0) at the top of the Ivy Standings. Head coach Carla Tagliente's unit will welcome No. 1 UConn to Bedford Field on Sunday. (12 p.m.) Fans attending the game can receive free Princeton Cheer Gear. The Tigers have won three times in program history against the No. 1 team in the country, the last coming against North Carolina in the 2012 National Championship game.