Yeager's OT Goal Sets Record, Gives Princeton 3-2 Wn Over Cornell

Friday, October 15

Princeton, N.J.

4:00 PM

Princeton University

(7-5, 4-0Ivy)

Cornell

(7-5, 2-2Ivy)

Cornell

Princeton

Beth Yeager (left) is about to be congratulated by Sammy Popper (16) and Ali McCarthy (24) after Yeager's game-winning goal in overtime against Cornell. McCarthy scored the other two Princeton goals.

Photo by: Shelley M. Szwast

Yeager's OT Goal Sets Record, Gives Princeton 3-2 Wn Over Cornell

October 15, 2021 | Field Hockey

Box Score

There are ways to set records, and then there are ways to set records. Beth Yeager set the Princeton field hockey record for goals by a freshman in style.

Yeager wristed in a shot from about five yards out just over two minutes into overtime to give No. 16 Princeton a much-needed 3-2 win over Cornell Friday afternoon in a game seen nationally on ESPNU. For Yeager, it was the 15th goal of her rookie season, one better than the record she had come into the game sharing with Princeton field hockey legends Amy MacFarlane and Michelle Cesan. It was also her second overtime goal, after she also had the game-winner against UConn.

The game-winning played started when Gabby Andretta made a difficult stop off a Cornell counter attempt. Had Andretta missed the ball, then Cornell would have had a two-on-one the other way. Instead, Andretta controlled and got it to Hannah Davey, who dribbled down the right side and fed in front to Yeager, who tucked it just inside the left post.

The win was huge in the Ivy League race. Princeton improved to 4-0 in the league while handing Cornell its second Ivy loss. Harvard is the only other unbeaten team in the league, and the Crimson host Dartmouth Saturday and then Princeton a week from Saturday. The Tigers are home Sunday at noon against Penn State.

Ali McCarthy scored the first two Princeton goals (assists to Peggy Winterborn on the first one and Claire Donovan on the second), both in the second quarter, but any thought that this might be an easy one disappeared when Cornell's Caroline Ramsay ripped in a perfect shot off a corner, making it 2-1 at the break. The Big Red tied it early in the third when a penalty stroke was awarded, and it was a tense struggled from then on until Yeager ended it.

Princeton outshot Cornell 17-7.