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No. 1 UConn poses major challenge for Princeton

20121021_FHvConnecticut_RebeccaThorsness_0433
20121021_FHvConnecticut_RebeccaThorsness_0433

This weekend, the No. 12 field hockey team will take the field in two important games. Princeton (4-2 overall, 1-0 Ivy League) will host Ivy League rival Yale (2-4, 0-1) on Friday evening at 7 p.m. on Bedford Field. On Sunday afternoon, the Tigers will face a tough test on the road against undefeated and No. 1 UConn (7-0). Last weekend, the Tigers split their two games, defeating Dartmouth 7-1 before falling 4-0 to Syracuse the following day. Princeton’s seven goals against the Big Green (1-4, 0-1) was its highest-scoring game of the season, and the Syracuse game was the only time the Tigers have been shut out this fall.

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“It was disappointing to lose against Syracuse this past weekend, but I think that losses like that teach us valuable lessons,” senior midfielder/striker Michelle Cesan said. “Syracuse is a top-notch team and we were lucky to play them so early in the season. We have a lot more games left to show what we are capable of, and I have no doubt that we are going to turn our season around this weekend against Yale and UConn.”

“We have made some positional changes that have made a big impact on the natural flow of the game,” sophomore midfielder/back Teresa Benvenuti said. “We have also rededicated ourselves to utilizing every minute at practice in order to reach our full potential as a team."

Last weekend, Yale suffered a 3-2 loss to Harvard in their opening Ivy League competition, but then earned a 3-2 win against Vermont to turn its momentum around. Yet to win a road game this season, the Bulldogs will be out to tally their first away win of the fall on Friday night. When the two teams last met in 2012, the Tigers blanked the Bulldogs 8-0.

“This week we have really cranked up our intensity in practice, and I am excited to see how it looks on game day against our next Ivy League competitor, Yale,” Cesan said. “It was exciting to open up our Ivy League season against Dartmouth, and we are hoping to keep an undefeated Ivy record.”

Princeton went 7-0 in the Ivy League last season.

“Every Ivy League game we play is important in securing the Ivy League Championship, so we are excited to play this weekend against Yale,” Benvenuti said.

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Sunday, the Tigers will face one of the fiercest competitors in Division I field hockey: Connecticut. Undefeated so far, the Huskies will face Villanova on Saturday before hosting Princeton the following day. Last year, the Tigers outscored the Huskies 4-1 to break the team’s 16-game win streak.

“The UConn team has tremendous speed on the front line,” Benvenuti said. “It will be detrimental to our success if we allow them space to use their speed. Technically, we match up well against the UConn team, so we must rely on our structure and press to gain the advantage.”

The Tigers and Huskies have faced two common opponents in the first three weeks of the season. Against Fairfield, Princeton won 4-3 and Connecticut won 4-0, and the Tigers fell 4-3 to Penn State while Connecticut squeaked out a 4-3 overtime win.

“UConn is currently number one, so it will be a true test of our hard work this week,” Cesan said. “They are overall a dynamic and athletic team, so I think that we will be a good match up.”

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Benvenuti continues to lead the charge up front for the Tigers this season, netting six goals and adding four assists. She currently has the seventh-highest goals per game average in Division I field hockey. Also making big contributions offensively for Princeton are junior striker Allison Evans (four goals, three assists) and Cesan (two goals, four assists). Overall, the Orange and Black has had impressive and consistent offensive outputs, outscoring its opponents 19-14 and outshooting its opponents 103-49.

After a weekend with major implications for the rest of the season, the Tigers will resume Ivy play, hosting Columbia on Oct. 4.