Field hockey puts undefeated Ivy record on line at Harvard

When an undefeated record is at stake, every game is crucial. This weekend, as the women's field hockey team (6-8 overall) takes on Harvard (5-7) in Cambridge, Mass., in its second-to-last league game of the season, maintaining its perfect 5-0 Ivy League record will be the squad's top priority.

At this point in the season, head coach Kristin Holmes-Winn is looking toward the NCAA tournament. Preserving Princeton's Ivy League title, however, is never far from her mind.

"Subconsciously for the team, Ivies are just as important, if not more, as the rest of the season," she said.

In order to prolong its win streak, Princeton will have to overcome some structural flaws that have kept it from achieving an extremely successful overall season this fall, but Holmes-Winn is looking for the team to find its strength now more than ever. Holmes-Winn is hoping that her team will find its stride and make big sweeping changes, not just correct specific plays to attain technical perfection.

"We have to play our best hockey at every point now," she said. "We haven't fully gelled yet, but we're going to get there. I'm looking for solid play from every one of the girls on the field."

The Tigers certainly have the bench to field the type of team Holmes-Winn wants. Princeton has starters from every class year, a factor that has helped push its seniors to play their best because their own starting positions are never assured. Seniors and freshmen alike have made solid contributions on all parts of the field.

"Offensively, [senior midfield] Maren Ford has commanded the field," Holmes-Winn said, "but we have also had luck with the younger players on our team as well."

Attributing the team's success to mere luck is an understatement. Holmes-Winn has consistently started four freshmen, all of who have made solid contributions both defensively and offensively in the midfield. Holmes-Winn has been especially pleased with the play of freshman midfield Sarah Reinprecht, who has started every game this season.

The Tigers can also look forward to the offensive power of the Schmidt sisters — sophomore attack Paige, Ivy League Player of the Week for Oct. 9-16, and senior midfielder Hillary. Leading the team in goals — Paige with eight and Hillary with three — the Schmidts will be key in Princeton hopes for a more aggressive drive to the net this weekend against the Crimson.

"We're looking to control the counterattacks," Holmes-Winn said. "We want space between their net and their players."

Forcing Harvard to spread out will be the Tigers' best plan for victory, as the Crimson's strength is undoubtedly their stick-to-stick play in controlled spaces.

"They can't match our speed," Holmes-Winn said.

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But in order for Princeton to capitalize on this advantage, it will have to put more people on the ball and use big hits in combination with controlled stick play.

For both the Tigers and Harvard, focusing on penalty corners will be essential to the outcome of the game, as both teams have had trouble capitalizing on multiple corners per game throughout the season.

"We have definitely had some trouble with corners recently," Holmes-Winn said, "but we're really starting to put all of the missing pieces together."

Coming off a six-game losing streak including a loss to Yale last Saturday, the Crimson will undoubtedly be just as hungry for an Ivy League win as Princeton, and the Tigers will have to get past a very solid Harvard defense in order to pound the net.

"Harvard is a very strong team when it comes to structural defense. Getting around them will be key to getting the goals we need," Holmes-Winn said.

A victory against the Crimson would solidify Princeton's position as the leader of the Ivy League and give the Tigers the added satisfaction of beating last season's Ivy champion. With the title nearly in its grasp, Princeton isn't willing to let this opportunity slip through its fingers. Everything has to come together this weekend, but the Tigers also know that they have to keep a one-game goal in mind.

"Opposition is always opposition, Ivy or not," Holmes-Winn said.

But, subconsciously or consciously, every player on the squad this weekend knows that Harvard isn't just another game; this game is about the title.