Scoring quickly the key

“We were definitely motivated by the previous games to try to score earlier and relieve some of the pressure on our defense,” senior forward Sarah Peteraf said. “Fortunately, we were able to come back to tie or win in two of the games where we gave up goals, but it is always more difficult to come back once the other team has scored. Because of that, we were trying to focus on scoring earlier in the game. Especially having already played two games into overtime earlier in the weekend, we really didn’t want to play more than 90 minutes again.”

Peteraf made sure the Tigers would not make it three overtime games in a row, scoring her third goal of the year on a feed from freshman forward Kalie Bartholomew to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead only 31 seconds into the game. Early goals like Peteraf’s only pave the way for more.

Then it was Bartholomew, adding her second goal in as many games in the third minute to put Princeton ahead, 2-0. From there, the rest was history.

The Tigers’ win was their second in a three-game, five-day stretch in which they finished undefeated and outscored their opponents 4-1. These results have been especially impressive considering that Princeton was forced to endure a two-week layoff after two games were cancelled because of Hurricane Ike.

“I think the team has responded very well to a two-week layoff,” head coach Julie Shackford said. “It is a determined group.”

Princeton’s early-season success has been spurred in large part by the improved play of Peteraf. As a junior, Peteraf failed to score all season despite registering 22 shots on the year. With the departure of Diana Matheson ’08, last year’s leading scorer, Peteraf has been forced to assume more of a central role on the team’s offense, a challenge that she has responded to incredibly.

“Peteraf is playing with a lot more maturity,” Shackford said. “She has gotten herself into better scoring positions [than] in the past and has been able to finish better under pressure.”

Peteraf’s improved play has been an inspiration for other members of the team, as evidenced by the emergence of the freshman sensation Bartholomew over the past two games. After playing the hero against St. John’s, when her 35-yard goal late in the game salvaged a 1-1 tie, Bartholomew picked up right where she left off with her goal in the third minute to put the game out of reach.

“Kalie’s learning curve over the past week went through the roof. She has a lot of natural talent and we are excited to watch her progress,” Shackford said. “She wants to learn and has taken everything in over the last couple of weeks.”

While Peteraf and Bartholomew’s early play stood out in Tuesday’s win, the entire team put forth a solid effort. The Tigers’ stingy defense, led by senior center back Taylor Numann, senior outside back and co-captain Lisa Chinn, and junior center back Melissa Seitz, was especially dominant, limiting Colgate to only three shots in the game. What few shots the Red Raiders could muster sophomore goalkeeper Alyssa Pont easily stopped en route to recording her second shutout of the year.

Princeton had multiple opportunities to widen the margin of victory in the second half, but Colgate goalkeeper Rebecca Michlin stopped four shots after the break, including two by Bartholomew, to prevent the Tigers from recording their first three-goal game of the year.

The team now turns its attention to New Haven, Conn., where Princeton will take on Yale on Saturday night in its Ivy League opener.

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“We are still trying to be better with the ball and need to work on our defending in transition,” Shackford said. “We look forward to the beginning of the Ivy League season, and Yale will be a formidable opponent.”

If the Tigers’ current learning curve is any indication, Yale has much to fear as Princeton heads north in search of a positive start to its league season. With a bona fide scoring combination emerging in Peteraf and Bartholomew and a rock-solid defense that has allowed only three goals in five games, the Tigers are in an excellent position to build on the momentum they have generated over the past five days.