This weekend will make or break the 2004 season for the women's water polo team. If the Tigers (22-7) win the Eastern Championships, they will earn a spot in the NCAA tournament and try to go all the way. If they lose, this season will come to a close and the team will have to wait to try again next year.
Hot off a four-win streak this weekend at the Southern Championships, from which they emerged victorious, the Tigers hope to avenge several losses from earlier this season and surprise those who may be taking this youthful, strong squad lightly.
"The season finale has come and everyone is underestimating us," freshman driver Jazmin Brown said. "Our team is notorious for being inconsistent, so every team is looking over us. I'm excited for this weekend because I love being in this spot. Being the underdog is the best position because we have nothing to lose."
Twelve teams will be playing at Easterns, all of which are the top teams on the East Coast. The top five schools in the tournament are, top to bottom, Michigan (28-8), Hartwick (30-8), Indiana (22-9-1), Brown (17-7) and Princeton.
The four seeds ahead of Princeton are all strong teams, ones that have contributed to the Tigers' few losses this season. Princeton's other three losses came on its Spring Break trip against some of the top teams in California. However, though the four aforementioned teams have each ousted Princeton once this season, the Tigers have not met several of them in the pool since early in the season, most notably Michigan and Indiana. The Wolverines could find themselves in a tough spot this weekend, given that they lost their leading scorer due to player-coach conflicts.
The Tigers will first face Villanova (9-16) at Bucknell this afternoon. The Wildcats received an at-large bid to compete in Easterns and hold the twelfth seed in the tournament. If the Tigers defeat the Wildcats, they will face Brown at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. The tournament will then continue throughout Saturday evening and into Sunday, with the championship game taking place Sunday afternoon.
The Tigers and Bears last met at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships, when Brown trounced Princeton, 6-1, and destroyed the Tigers' hopes of defending their 2003 ECAC title.
Since then, the Tigers have been on a successful run. Despite falling to Brown at ECACs, Princeton came in third in the tournament and also went 4-0 at Inter-regionals. The Tigers' record is nothing to sniff at, especially given the fact that they have won 10 of their last 11 games.
Freshman utility Elyse Colgan leads the offense with 61 goals, while Jazmin Brown comes in second with 47 goals and 17 assists. Sophomore driver Megan Donahue has 38 goals on the season and leads the team in assists (19) and steals (57). Freshman driver Danielle Carlson follows close behind with 30 goals, 17 assists and 50 steals on the season.
The Tigers have looked very strong in goal, as well. Junior Madeline McCarthy has been doing her fair share, boasting 52 saves and 10 steals this season. Senior Lauren Lister and freshman Shannon DeVore have also been solid, combining for 61 saves this season.
Despite this evident skill and talent, Princeton cannot afford to have too much confidence. A lot remains at stake this weekend.
"Easterns is our biggest tournament of the season," Colgan said. "The games this weekend should be competitive. In order to get ready we are psyching ourselves up and working on our 6-on-5 opportunities. Converting our man-ups into goals will be the key to winning."
Teammate Brown was also confident about the team's chances.
"This week we've had great practices and we are coming together as a team," she said. "I think we'll be the Cinderella team at Easterns."
In its seven years as a varsity squad, Princeton has only won one Easterns title, in 2000. The Tigers' victory at Southerns last weekend was their third all-time, with the other two Southern victories occurring in 1999 and 2001. Given their success this season, 2004 may be the year for the Tigers to take their second Eastern title.
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