No. 13 Princeton Falls To No. 5 Louisville In OT Despite Yeager's First Two Goals

Sunday, September 5

Princeton, N.J.

1:30 PM

Princeton University

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#6 Louisville

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Louisville

Princeton

Beth Yeager had both of Princeton's goals in a 3-2 loss to No. 5 Louisville.

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

No. 13 Princeton Falls To No. 5 Louisville In OT Despite Yeager's First Two Goals

September 05, 2021 | Field Hockey

Box Score

For a team with no seniors, not to mention a team that hadn't played in more than 20 months, there are easier ways to start a season than with the three-time defending NCAA champion and a team that reached the Final Four last season. The Princeton field hockey team does not like to take the easy way out in its scheduling, and so it was that the Tigers opened with the former (North Carolina) and then the latter (Louisville).

The young Tigers grew up a great deal this weekend, even if the record doesn't necessarily reflect that. Princeton dropped a tough 3-2 overtime decision to unbeaten and fifth-ranked Louisville (4-0) Sunday afternoon at Bedford Field when Mattie Tabor knocked in the game-winner off a corner nearly five minutes into the 7v7 OT. The game-winning goal was reviewed for a possible high stick before the outcome was official.

"We knew it would be a challenging weekend," said Princeton head coach Carla Tagliente. "That's always our mindset though. We want to play the best teams. That's how we meaure ourselves, and that's how we improve."

Princeton, who opened the weekend with a 4-1 loss to North Carolina, nearly won the game in the final minute of regulation, but Louisville goalie Mila de Kuijer just got her extended leg on a shot from Claire Donovan that appeared headed inside the far post with little more than 20 seconds remaining.

Freshman Beth Yeager, already on the U.S. National Team, scored both Princeton goals, the first two of her career. The first came on a penalty stroke six minutes into the game for the first goal of the day. Louisville then scored twice in a 1:19 span, once on a corner late in the first quarter and then again on scramble in front to start the second.

Yeager knotted things with a goal off a corner, assisted by Sam Davidson and Ali McCarthy, to tie at 30 seconds before intermission.

Princeton's best chance prior to Davidson's shot came midway through the fourth, when McCarthy just missed wide of the post. The Cardinals' best chance came when Emilia Kaczmarczyk drove one towards the goal that Tiger goalie Robyn Thompson stopped and then prevented from bouncing free.

The Tigers, who outshot Louisville 17-12, are home this coming Saturday at noon against 12^th-ranked Duke.