Coming off an impressive win against No. 13 Penn State, the field hockey team has a promising outlook for this weekend. The No. 15 Tigers (5-1 overall, 1-0 Ivy League) travel to New Haven on Saturday to take on Yale (2-3, 0-1) and then continue on to upstate New York to face No. 18 Albany on Sunday. Princeton should have little problem with unranked Yale, but Albany could present both a challenge and an opportunity to solidify the Tigers’ bid for the postseason.
Looking at recent history of the series between the Tigers and the Bulldogs, the advantage lies firmly with the Orange and Black. Princeton has not lost to Yale in more than seven years, with most wins by multiple goals.
Last year, the Tigers shut out the Bulldogs, 2-0. Then-juniors Holly McGarvie and Sarah Reinprecht scored the two goals, and then-sophomore Cynthia Wray posted a shutout in goal. The defense was so good that Wray only had to make two saves in the game. Princeton owned all of the major stats, including a 25-8 advantage in shots and an overwhelming 17-3 edge in penalty corners.
Yale lost its 2008 Ivy League opener to Harvard last Saturday. The Tigers, meanwhile, shut out Dartmouth in a 4-0 home victory.
“Yale is a very competitive group,” head coach Kristen Holmes-Winn said. “Every Ivy game is really huge. Yale is passionate, and we will need to respond to that.”
Princeton does not have much history with its second opponent, Albany. The last time the two teams met was in 2005, and Princeton came out on top, 3-0. If the teams’ proximity in the rankings is any indication, this year’s match should be a closer affair. The Great Danes’ athleticism will pose a stiff challenge for the Tigers.
“Albany is physical and has very skilled players,” Holmes-Winn said. “We have a lot of speed on every line and at every position.”
The Great Danes are coming off an unexpected loss at the hands of unranked Colgate in the final minutes of their Wednesday-night game.
The Tigers’ strengths lie in their speed and their ability to put constant pressure on their opponent. This strategy would be ineffective, however, if not for the confidence in their goalkeeping. Wray and sophomore goalie Jennifer King have been splitting time, and both players have had their fair share of strong outings. King currently boasts the highest save percentage in the country.
Princeton has its sights set on the postseason, but the Tigers first need to gather some momentum and the necessary victories to stake their claim. This weekend could move them closer to their fourth-consecutive Ivy League title and 15th since 1991. The Albany game is also Princeton’s second chance in a week to knock off a top-20 team.
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