Balanced Attack Leads No. 17 Princeton Past Penn 5-1 In Ivy Opener

Friday, September 24

Philadelphia, Pa.

3:00 PM

Princeton University

(3-4, 1-0Ivy)

Penn

(3-4, 0-1Ivy)

Princeton

Penn

Peggy Winterborn celebrates her first career goal in Princeton's 5-1 win over Penn.

Photo by: Sideline Photos, LLC

Balanced Attack Leads No. 17 Princeton Past Penn 5-1 In Ivy Opener

September 24, 2021 | Field Hockey

Box Score

The ball rolled, harmlessly it seemed, out of bounds on the sideline, nowhere near the circle. Peggy Winterborn went to inbound for Princeton. It's the kind of play that happens constantly in a field hockey game.

This time it was different though. Winterborn dribbled down the left side, turning into the circle just before the end line. Then she kept going. By the time she stopped, the ball was in the back of the cage, and she had her first career goal. From the time she brought it in until the goal was put on the board, no other player touched it.

Winterborn's goal was a rarity at Penn Friday afternoon, in that it was unassisted. Everything Princeton did seemed to be assisted, whether it was goals, defense, transition, everything.

The result was a strong 5-1 win for No. 17 Princeton over the Quakers in the Ivy League opener for both. The Tigers had a total team effort, with four assisted goals and contributions on both ends from pretty much every player on the roster.

As far as the scoring went, The Tigers got second quarter goals from Beth Yeager, Winterborn and Bridget Murphy and then, after a Quaker goal late in the third cut it to two, Ali McCarthy put it away with two goals in the first minute of the fourth quarter.

"We came out ready to play," said Princeton head coach Carla Tagliente. "It was very important to get off to a good start in the league, and I thought we were able to control the tempo and possession. It got a little scary when Penn scored, but Ali was there to build it back up for us."

Princeton had lost a tough 4-3 overtime game to No. 9 Maryland Tuesday, but the Tigers were able to shake with a quick three-day turnaround. Princeton will have to come back in even less time now, as the Tigers host No. 10 Rutgers Sunday at noon.

Yeager put the Tigers on the board late in the first when she drove a shot into the back of the cage off a corner for her seventh goal of the first seven games of her college career. Princeton then took the lead from 1-0 to 3-0 in less than two minutes early in the second quarter, first when Winterborn did her thing, and then when Bridget Murphy, in her second game back from an injury in the first game of the season, tipped in a pass from Yeager, making it to goals in two games for the sophomore.

McCarthy's first goal of the fourth came off a corner, with assists from Grace Schulze and Ophelie Bemelmans. McCarthy scored again 27 seconds later, this time from Yeager, who now has six assists to go with her seven goals.

Princeton outshot Penn 19-6 and had a 9-1 edge in corners.