Tigers seek Ivy repeat

Life just isn't fair sometimes.

Sure, the other Ivy League field hockey teams had a tough go of it last year, taking turns losing to a fearsome Princeton squad that went 7-0 in Ivy matchups on its way to a 12th league championship in 13 seasons. There's no denying that the team was good.

But to be fielding essentially that same lineup of supremely skilled women, women who now have another year playing together under their belts and are all one year stronger, smarter and better, as the Tigers are doing this year? That's just downright nasty.

In fact, almost the entire team's core will hit the field again this year, with only former starting goalkeeper Allison Nemeth '07 lost to graduation. Nemeth was a mainstay in the Princeton pipes for four years and leaves big shoes to fill. Sophomore Cynthia Wray, who had no game experience before this year, has stepped comfortably into the starter's role.

"She's definitely coming into her own," sophomore attack Tina Bortz said. "She's becoming a lot more confident and vocal on the field. I'm not back there too often, but I can tell from even from drills and practice that she's getting a lot better."

Junior defender Holly McGarvie had similar praise for Wray.

"We know she holds herself accountable and maintains a certain level of pride in our defensive end. I think her hard work and determination have made up for her lack of experience, and I see her growing into the leader of our backfield," McGarvie said.

Fortunately for Wray, she shouldn't have to worry much about getting offensive support. Princeton returns its top five scorers from last season, headlined by senior midfielder Paige Schmidt. No stranger to prestigious personal accolades, Schmidt is the reigning two-time Ivy League Player of the Year and, as the team's only senior and most experienced player, is looked to as a leader.

McGarvie, the team's leading scorer last year with 20 points, is back along with high-scoring juniors attack Katie Kinzer and midfielder Sarah Reinprecht. Bortz, who scored six goals last season and has three in four games already in 2007, rejoins Kinzer up front. Last year's Ivy League Rookie of the Year, Kaitlyn Perrelle, a sophomore defender, also takes her place back in the Tiger starting lineup.

"We have a really good group of experienced athletes coming back from last year," head coach Kristen Holmes-Winn said. "While on paper we still look a bit young, we made it to the second round of the NCAA championships last year. We have that experience underneath us, which is big for the group."

Four freshmen join the Orange and Black, though with such an experienced team, Princeton currently has no starting first-year players for the first time in several years. Even so, that's not set in stone.

"They are challenging for time every day; they really do push our other players," Holmes-Winn said. "They have good basic skills and great attitudes and are very passionate about the game."

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After four games, the Tigers are 2-2 overall — 2-0 in Ivy League games — having lost to No. 16 American (8-0) and No. 6 Penn. State (5-3) and defeated Dartmouth (2-4, 1-1) and Yale (1-4, 0-1). Despite the team's .500 record, expectations are, as always, high. A third consecutive Ivy League championship is well within reach, and the players have their sights set on at least making the NCAA Final Four.

"Personally, I feel that if our team plays to our potential we have the ability to compete with any team in the country," McGarvie said.

The players spent a little over a week in Argentina this summer to gain some international experience and sharpen their skills together as a team. They visited Buenos Aires, enjoying the city's cultural offerings in addition to practicing with and playing against several local clubs.

"Our trip to Argentina was a tremendous experience that we were lucky to have," McGarvie said. "Not only did we play some of the best competition in our age range, we had the chance to interact with and learn from the Argentinian players and local children."

It's an exciting time for Princeton field hockey, and that only spells even more bad news for the rest of the Ivy League.