Julie Shackford, head coach of the women's soccer team, is disappointed to see the Ivy League trophy leave her office for Hanover, N.H., where Dartmouth will hold it. Still, her team has a chance to make a strong run in the NCAA tournament in its quest for a heavier, more expensive trophy.
The Division I Women's Soccer Committee announced Monday that Princeton (11-2-3 overall, 4-2-1 Ivy League) would face Villanova (14-5-3) in the first round of the tournament. The two meet tonight at 7 p.m. in Charlottesville, Va.
Shackford was pleasantly surprised by the pairing of the teams, especially after Princeton's loss to Penn on Saturday. She considers the Wildcats to be a tough but beatable opponent.
"I'm psyched about our draw," Shackford said. "I thought [Ivy League champion] Dartmouth got a way worse draw."
Senior midfielder Liz Bell seems equally enthusiastic.
"I don't really think the Penn loss hurt our bracket seeding," Bell said. "We're very excited to play Villanova. I think it'll be a very good match-up for us. They are a tough Big East team who will hold nothing back."
Still, the Tigers have a good amount of work left if they want to turn a good pairing into victory. Villanova, ranked No. 15 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll, this year has had one of the program's most successful seasons ever.
The Wildcats started off their season with a 7-0 record before falling to Boston College, 1-0, on Sept. 21.
To its credit, Villanova recovered from this loss and two weeks later nearly defeated Notre Dame, the No. 2 seed in the 64-team NCAA tournament. Villanova held the Fighting Irish to a goose-egg tie in regulation. In the 98th minute, however, a Notre Dame goal gave it the win, precluding the huge upset.
The true climax of the Wildcats' season, though, came with a win in the Big East title game. Against Boston College on Sunday, Villanova earned its most important victory on penalty kicks. This win avenged the Wildcats' earlier loss to the Eagles and gave them their automatic berth to the tournament.
To win, Princeton must find a way past Villanova's defense, which has a Scrooge-like reputation. The Wildcats have allowed only 11 goals all season, in large part due to the play of senior goalie Chrissy Dolan.
"They're very stingy in terms of giving up goals," Shackford said. "They've got a standout goalkeeper."
Villanova's solid offense is another obstacle to Princeton's success. Several Wildcats, including junior Laura Johnson, sophomore Lindsey Finnegan and freshman Megan Farmer, have dangerous speed and an ability to find the net.
The two teams have had three opponents in common this season. Each defeated Syracuse, but Villanova lost to a Rutgers squad that Princeton tied. The Wildcats, however, beat out Penn, to whom the Tigers most recently fell victim.
Princeton, formerly among the NSCAA's top 25, has slipped into unranked territory over the past few weeks. This weekend is the Tigers' chance to prove the polls wrong.
Most importantly, to advance, Princeton needs to capitalize on its shots. Several times this season, the Tigers' efforts have been frustrated by an inability to turn a good look at their opponents' net into a goal.
Junior forward Esmeralda Negron, recently named the Ivy League's Player of the Year, leads the Princeton attack, aided by sophomore midfielders Emily Behncke and Maura Gallagher.
Princeton's goals have changed as a consequence of reaching the tournament. While in earlier games the Tigers focused on merely playing good soccer, the only thing on their minds in Saturday's game will be a win.
The two teams will clash on the University of Virginia's home field. The winner of this matchup will face either UVa. (12-5-2), seeded seventh in the tournament, or William & Mary (14-6-2).
After having difficulty in years past, the Tigers are aiming high for the tournament.
"We want to get past the second round," Shackford said. "We just want to ride this thing out as long as we can."
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