Women's Soccer: Hoy scores first career goal in tie with Towson

Once again, the women’s soccer team edged its opponent in almost every statistical category — except the one that matters most.

That was the story this weekend, when Princeton (1-4-1) tied Towson (4-4-1) at one and fell to No. 16 Rutgers (7-1-1), 2-0.

The Tigers opened a three-game homestand Sunday with a compelling matchup against their intrastate rivals, the Scarlet Knights. It was the first meeting between the two teams since 2007, when Princeton thrashed Rutgers, 5-1.

This weekend’s matchup took on a decidedly different tone, however.

The Scarlet Knights tested first-team All-Ivy League junior goaltender Aly Pont twice within the first 10 minutes without success.

But in the 19th minute, Rutgers struck. The scoring sequence began when forward April Price aggressively corralled the ball near the edge of the Tigers’ goal box. She crossed the ball to midfielder Stefanee Pace, who flicked the ball back to forward Ashley Jones. Jones got in behind Princeton’s defense, and while Pont came out to challenge her, Jones angled the ball past her and into the net for a 1-0 lead.

It was Jones’s sixth goal in Rutgers’ last five games.

The Tigers’ best chance in the half came later, when speedy freshman forward Jen Hoy earned a free kick after being fouled just inside the right side of the Scarlet Knights’ goal box. The kick crossed the box, where junior midfielder Kayleigh Iatarola got a head on it, but the ball went just wide of the goal.

The Tigers came out of the gate strong in the second half, and for a while it was all Rutgers could do to hold Princeton at bay. For stretches, the Tigers actually appeared to be the better team as they repeatedly threatened to score.

“We had a great second half, but unfortunately our first half wasn’t strong,” senior defensive back and tri-captain Melissa Seitz said. “It’s actually a theme of ours, that we start playing well after we get scored on. We have to fix that before [going] into Ivy League this Saturday.”

Indeed, in the first 15 minutes of the second half, the Tigers took five shots while Rutgers took none. Only two were on frame, however, and goalkeeper Erin Guthrie — who has allowed three goals total so far this year — stopped both.

Princeton continued to apply pressure, but with roughly 25 minutes remaining in the game, disaster struck again in the form of Jones.

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Jones took the ball, weaving through the Princeton defense to get to Pont, who rushed out of the net. Pont slid toward Jones, trying to grab the ball off her foot. But Jones sidestepped Pont and calmly dribbled the ball into the net for a 2-0 lead.

The goal sucked the wind out of the Tigers’ sails.

“We did have a great second half, but unfortunately that goal put us back on our heels, because otherwise I really think we could have gotten that tying goal,” Seitz said.

“I definitely thought we played well. I think we had the ball more — that piece of it, the soccer part of it,” head coach Julie Shackford added. “I think we had momentum in second half. It was an unfortunate giveaway they capitalized on, and once you give up the second goal, it’s tough.”

Princeton outshot the Scarlet Knights 8-5 for the half and 12-10 for the game. It was the highest number of shots Rutgers had allowed an opponent all season. The Tigers also had more saves and fewer fouls.

But the Scarlet Knights had more shots on goal and, more importantly, more goals. They finished their opportunities, and that was the story of the game.

“I think we just need to get harder in general and score,” Seitz said of the team’s inability to put one up on the scoreboard. “But we’re getting better, we are. We’re improving each game.”

A similar story played out in Maryland on Friday evening, when the Tigers took on Towson. Princeton tallied 16 shots, five on goal, but only one went in. The shot that was successful earned a tie for the Tigers.

After playing to a scoreless tie in the first half, Towson found the back of the net in the 51st minute after a Princeton turnover. But with less than 15 minutes remaining in regulation, Hoy scored her first collegiate goal to knot the score at one.

Despite outshooting Towson 4-0 in the overtime periods, the Tigers could not break the tie.

The weekend’s games leave Princeton in an interesting spot, with plenty of youth, a little bit of experience and few wins. But the Tigers have talent, and they have another chance — against Hartford this Wednesday — to continue to learn how to deploy that talent before taking on Yale on Saturday.

“It’s a young team, and I think we have a fair amount of talent on the field,” Shackford said. “There’s no substitute for game experience. No matter what you’ve done at the club level, it doesn’t emulate what you have at the college level … It really is a growing process.”