Field hockey looks to Ivies

With its fourth-straight Ivy League victory last Saturday against Brown, the field hockey team is in prime position to take the Ivy League Championship.

Just as it has done in each of the past eight years.

Under the guidance of head coach Beth Bozman, Princeton has become a powerhouse in the Ivy League, finishing in first place every year since 1994.

While most undergraduates here were saying goodbye to our elementary school friends and moving on to junior high, Bozman was busy creating a field hockey dynasty that is still enjoying its golden age.

Last season, the Tigers went undefeated in Ivy League play, and posted an impressive 17-3 overall record while reaching the NCAA semifinals.

But despite a 4-0 Ivy League record so far this season, the Tigers are still in a heated race for the championship. They are currently tied for first place with Harvard, and find Dartmouth and Cornell lurking close behind with 3-1 records.

The Tigers will face off against both Harvard and Cornell in two of the last three games of the season, giving each team a chance at dethroning Princeton. The Big Green was soundly defeated by the Tigers earlier this year by the score of 9-1.

Harvard (9-3 overall, 4-0 Ivy League) poses the biggest threat to the Tigers. Harvard's strength lies in its defense, which has allowed only 13 total goals in its 12 games — the fewest allowed by any Ivy League defense. Led by goalie Katie Zacarian, the Crimson have tallied five shutouts — by far the most of any Ivy League team.

Their offense, led by forward Kate McDavitt, is above average. They rank second in the Ivy League in scoring with 37 goals – the Tigers still lead the pack with 55. And their scoring leader, senior attack Ilvy Friebe, has tallied 20 goals this season.

Cornell (9-5, 3-1) will be looking to bounce out of second place when they match up against the Tigers next Tuesday in Ithaca. This year's Cornell team has set new standards for field hockey in Ithaca, tying a school record of nine wins last Sunday. The Big Red's only Ivy League loss was a 2-0 shutout to Harvard.

Their three wins have come against Ivy League cellar dwellers Yale, Columbia, and Pennsylvania. Cornell goalkeeper Kaitlin Tierney ranks second in the Ivy League with 93 saves on the season.

When the Tigers face Penn (4-8, 1-3) in the last game of the regular season, the Quakers' only motivation will be to spoil the Tigers' season with a major upset. The Quakers have put up a lackluster year, only winning against Columbia in the Ivy League.

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Up to this point, it's been smooth sailing for the No. 16 ranked field hockey team in Ivy League play. In their four Ivy League wins this season, the Tigers have outscored opponents, 31-3. The closest match was a 6-1 win over Columbia. Other wins included 9-1 routs of both Dartmouth and Brown, and a 7-1 victory over last place Yale.

Somehow, however, the Tigers' success in the Ivy League has not translated into success over opponents outside of the Ivy League.

The Tigers currently sport a disappointing 2-5 record against non-league opponents. Not counting a 10 goal demolition of crosstown rival Rutgers, the Tigers have only scored 14 goals in six games against non-Ivy opponents. Remarkably, this is less than half of the number of goals the Tigers have scored in their four Ivy League games.

Three of the losses the Tigers have suffered have been one goal games against top-ranked opponents. These included a 3-2 loss to Ohio, and 2-1 losses to both Maryland and Michigan State.

Because of the Tigers' disappointing overall record, they will probably not receive an at large bid into the NCAA tournament in November.

The path they will have to take to the NCAA is through the Ivy League Championship, a path that Princeton field hockey has traveled successfully for the past eight years.