Women's water polo opens season strong with three victories

You can't blame Harvard for not recognizing Princeton women's water polo goalkeeper Lauren Lister. The last time the Tigers faced the Crimson, nine months ago in the first round of the Eastern Championships, Lister wasn't even in net. She was on the other side of the world.

The Tigers hosted the Princeton Invitational this weekend, beating Marist 17-2 and Harvard 8-2 on Saturday, then falling to Michigan 10-4 and topping George Washington 13-3 on Sunday.

Lister was an unexpected hero for the Tigers, filling in for the Tigers' expected starter, junior Melanie McCarthy, after a year spent studying abroad. McCarthy has been out with a knee injury but is expected to be back in the water Tuesday.

She was the anchor for a surprisingly staunch defense, which held Harvard to only two goals as Princeton stormed to the win.

"We are thrilled about how [Lister] is playing," head coach Luis Nicolao said. "She spent all of last year in Argentina, and this was her first chance to compete in some really crucial games. She did great."

Against Harvard, Lister was instrumental in shutting down the Crimson as the Tigers grabbed a 4-0 lead in the first half. Her dominance continued in the second. She allowed only one Harvard goal, a quick put-back after an acrobatic save, before the Crimson scored a final, meaningless goal in the game's closing seconds.

"We are all pleased with how well Lauren is playing," explained senior driver and captain Anne Olson. "A lot of our girls are young and are playing their first games, and we'll just keep getting better."

Princeton's efforts on the other end were highlighted by the success of a solid corps of freshmen, showing surprising poise in their first collegiate action.

Freshman Elyse Colgan and sophomore Megan Donahue tallied two goals apiece, and freshmen scored five of Princeton's eight total goals.

The Harvard win came on the heels of a 17-2 whipping of Marist Saturday morning. The visiting Red Foxes couldn't match Princeton's tempo, and the Tigers shot out to an early lead and never looked back.

...Princeton's precision, however, was tested Sunday morning against Michigan, which entered the contest No. 9 in the nation. Princeton's third game of the season was Michigan's 14th, and the Wolverines had played several national powers.

That difference showed as the Tigers came out flat, and the Wolverines jumped out to a 5-0 lead. Princeton then rallied for three straight goals. Colgan and freshman drivers Jazmin Brown and Maegan Zitren each scored as freshmen accounted for all of Princeton's first half scoring.

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Michigan goalie Betsey Armstrong put on a show to stall the Princeton run. The four-time national player of the week made several incredible stops.

The 10-4 final score belied the drama that characterized most of the game. Princeton found numerous openings but banged shot after shot off the goalposts late in the game.

"We played quite well, but the shots just didn't fall," Nicolao said. "Our team is deep and a lot of girls will see significant time, and we will continue to improve."

Sunday's nightcap against George Washington showcased that depth. Princeton's balanced attack scored four goals in just over two minutes to begin the second half on the way to turning a halftime tie into a 13-3 route. Freshman Danielle Carlson led the Tigers with five goals.

The Tigers have ten days off before their next game, at Villanova on Feb. 26. Time off may provide aching players a chance to heal. If not, Lister's weekend proves that, when in need, help can arrive from even the most inconspicuous sources.