Field hockey looks to write history in NCAA tourney

The Class of 1952 Stadium is no stranger to national championship banners. Each spring, the fences are adorned with banners from the renowned lacrosse program.

Each fall, on the other hand, the field hockey team inhabits a stadium whose walls are conspicuously bare of any such decorations.

Until now, that is.

For the past two weeks, new signs proclaiming "2003 National Championships" have adorned the sides of the goal cages at either end of the field. Of course, the Tigers have not actually won the national championship — not yet, at least.

Only when one reads the signs' unique epilogue — "We Believe It" — does their purpose make sense. The message is not intended as a declaration of triumph, but rather as an affirmation of epic expectations.

Princeton (12-5 overall, 7-0 Ivy League) begins its mission to transform belief into reality on Saturday, with an NCAA tournament first-round game versus No. 7 Penn State (17-6). A win would propel the Tigers into a likely quarterfinal contest with No. 3 Maryland (18-3), which hosts this weekend's first and second round games.

Statistically, the Tigers will play the role of underdog, having lost 3-2 heartbreakers to both teams during regular season play. And it was Penn State who knocked Princeton out of the tournament last year. But listening to the Tigers describe their eager anticipation of the weekend, it is clear they do not believe that history repeats itself.

"I couldn't be more excited to play Penn State," sophomore attack Maren Ford said. "We owe them for last year. And bring on Maryland, if that's the case."

Such fervent optimism, however, has not always been the norm. Princeton began its season with high expectations, including the goal of earning a trip to the Final Four, but struggles against non-conference competition began to take a mental toll at the mid-season point.

The Tigers hit rock bottom in an embarrassing 8-2 loss at the hands of Old Dominion on the final Sunday of Fall Break. Rather than fold, however, Princeton resolved to make the game a turning point.

"I have never seen a team more disappointed than we were after the Old Dominion game," head coach Kristen Holmes-Winn said. "[But], the loss re-centered us and solidified our mission."

In the past two weeks, Holmes-Winn and her staff have pulled every motivational trick out of the bag. In homage to Notre Dame football, the Tigers touch the "We Believe It" sign before every practice. The staff also asked each player to sign a contract reaffirming her commitment to the team. Not surprisingly, the intensity of recent practices has been noticeably higher.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

That said, Princeton realizes mental smoke and mirrors alone will not bring the team wins over Penn State or Maryland. After having seen each squad once, the Tigers have a strong grasp on which aspects of their game they need to improve upon in order to reverse the results.

Princeton has had ample time to improve the two main weaknesses that plagued the team early on: defensive breakdowns that allowed dangerous counterattacks and failure to finish offensive opportunities.

In the first meeting with the Nittany Lions, the Tigers actually led at halftime. A lapse of concentration in the second half, however, led to their demise. This time, beyond maintaining concentration for all 70 minutes, Princeton must also contain Timarie Legel, who scored twice and assisted on the winning goal.

"We had a chance to beat them," junior attack Alexis Martirosian said. "We need to play [Penn State] again to show that the last game was a mistake."

Offensively, it is critical that the Tigers impose their preferred high-tempo style of play. They will look to flatten the Nittany Lion defense and sneak into the open spaces.

Against Maryland, on the other hand, Princeton fell behind early. Although two late goals sent the game into overtime, the Tigers were unhappy with their overall effort. Still, their near upset despite sub-par play gives them confidence.

"We can play with Maryland," Holmes-Winn said. "We didn't play well — it won't happen again."

Holmes-Winn's words may seem brash, but they have a purpose. With a daunting road ahead, there is simply no room for self-doubt.

"As a coaching staff, it's all about reframing the task ahead so that it's not quite as overwhelming," she said. "We want them to know that we believe in them. And they need to believe in themselves."