The No. 18 women's water polo team spent its spring break in sunny California. But far from a vacation, the squad's eight-day trip was a tuneup for the rapidly approaching postseason. The Tigers' schedule of opponents included No. 1 Stanford as well as two other top-10 teams.
Princeton (12-9) had little trouble with its lesser-ranked opponents, easily disposing of UC Santa Cruz (6-15), Pacific (5-14), Cal State Monterey Bay (13-9) and No. 14 Santa Clara (13-9). But the Orange and Black ran into trouble against Stanford (15-1), No. 7 San Diego State (18-4), and No. 9 San Jose State (9-9).
Senior utility player Elyse Colgan continued to pull through for Princeton, netting 25 goals for her team. Meanwhile, senior goalie Shannon Devore filled in for star junior Natalie Kim, who was sidelined due to a stomach ailment. Overall, head coach Luis Nicolao was pleased with his team's performance.
The swing through the Golden State, though, was a learning experience for the Tiger defense. Princeton surrendered an average of 12.3 goals per game during its seven spring break games, including 22 goals to San Jose State. In comparison, Princeton only allowed an average of 7.4 goals per game during the team's previous 14 contests. But considering the caliber of teams that the Tigers faced and that Devore hadn't played all season, the defense performed surprisingly well.
"We did a great job of just playing with what we had and not focusing on what was missing," Nicolao said. "The girls did a great job of helping each other out and playing team defense."
Nicolao expects Kim to be back at practice today, following a battery of tests and two weeks of rest.
Hot off a five-game winning streak, Princeton opened the break against San Jose State. The Spartans proved difficult to vanquish, and sophomore Juliet Moss tied a San Jose State record with six goals.
Princeton took an early 2-0 lead with five minutes, 36 seconds left in the first quarter, but the Spartans got on the board just eight seconds later, igniting a 19-4 SJU run. Even Colgan's flurry of four goals was not enough to avert the 22-9 San Jose State triumph.
Later that night, the Tigers took on Division III No. 7 UC Santa Cruz. The listless Banana Slugs struggled against the resurgent Tiger offense, which tallied at least four goals in every quarter. Princeton coasted to its biggest margin of victory in the seven-game excursion, winning 17-7. Senior Karina Reyner scored an impressive six goals, while the dependable Colgan scored four more.
On March 18, the Tigers headed inland to Stockton, Calif., for a doubleheader against San Diego State and Pacific. Princeton stayed close with the Aztecs, who haven't lost a game in almost a month. With 1:55 remaining in the second quarter, the score was 4-4. But after a torrent of scoring as time expired in the first half, SDSU gained a 6-5 advantage, en route to the eventual 13-8 Aztec victory.
Against the Pacific Tigers, Colgan stole the show with her spectacular eight-goal performance, which tied Princeton's record. Colgan's offensive production in the game matched that of the entire Pacific squad, as the Tigers won 14-8. Devore made seven saves, and senior utility player Jazmin Brown netted two goals.
The Tigers took three days off before returning to action against Cal State Monterey Bay. That rest proved beneficial for coach Nicolao's team. Princeton exploded for eight points in the first quarter and five more in the second. Despite this strong first half showing, the Otters bounced back, outscoring the Tigers 8-5 in the final two quarters. But Princeton held on for an 18-15 victory, behind the hat tricks of Colgan, Reyner and freshman center defender Lauren Sabb.
According to Nicolao, the Tigers played their best game of the week as an underdog against Santa Clara. Princeton led the Broncos early and never looked back. The 8-4 decision was built on a 3-0 first quarter lead. Colgan had her fifth hat trick in six games, while senior Samantha Shaughnessy replaced Devore in goal.
"We had some great offensive opportunities, and we made a lot of great field blocks [against Santa Clara]," Nicolao said. "Just overall, we showed a lot of hustle."
But the Tigers saved their toughest challenge for last. The top-ranked Cardinals' 13th-consecutive win came on the heels of a three-week hiatus. Stanford opened up a 13-1 lead after shutting out Princeton in the second and third quarters, and the contest ended with the Cardinal victorious, 17-3. Colgan, Sabb and Reyner contributed one goal apiece.
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