Julianna Tornetta Sets Princeton Up For 2-1 Win Over UVA, Quarterfinal Berth

Friday, November 9

Princeton, N.J.

12:00 PM

Princeton University

(14-4)

Virginia

(9-10)

Virginia

Princeton

Photo by: Beverly Schaefer

Julianna Tornetta Sets Princeton Up For 2-1 Win Over UVA, Quarterfinal Berth

November 09, 2018 | Field Hockey

Box Score

Julianna Tornetta wound up to drive the ball over a penalty corner, and a second later it was rocketing off the back of the cage.

Well, maybe a second and a half.

Tornetta snapped a tie game not with a shot, but with a dazzling no-look pass that Maddie Bacskai instead drilled for the game-winner with 22 minutes left, ultimately giving No. 4 Princeton a 2-1 win over No. 13 Virginia in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Bedford Field Friday afternoon. The Tigers will play No. 6 Harvard Sunday at 1 p.m., in the NCAA Quarterfinals, with the winner to earn a spot in next weekend's Final Four at Louisville.

It was a 1-1 tie when Princeton drew a penalty corner, and then another, and then finally a third. That one was inserted to Tornetta, who did the fake shot, drawing Virginia's attention, and then left the ball behind her back to Bacskai, whose perfect shot flew inside the near post.

Tigers Goal! Maddie with a big blast on a wonderful pass from Julianna! 2-1 Princeton, 22:57 to go. Watch - https://t.co/X6U1jul4XC #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/R9UowFy4cU
— Princeton FH (@TigerFH) November 9, 2018

Princeton went up first on a goal from Clara Roth, who deflected a long pass from Hannah Davey with 11 minutes to in the half. Virginia would tie it with less than three minutes left in the half off of its own deflection, this one off a corner.

Princeton outshot Virginia 12-2 for the game, including 8-0 in the second half.

The win pushes Princeton to the quarterfinals for the 17th time, including the third time in Carla Tagliente's three years as head coach. Princeton reached the Final Four two years ago, in Tagliente's first season.

This was also the third-straight season that Princeton has eliminated Virginia in the tournament.

Sights and Sounds ...

Sights and Sounds from today's #NCAAFH First Round victory over No. 13 UVA! #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/nhzxVbDIVd
— Princeton FH (@TigerFH) November 9, 2018