The women’s soccer team just put together its most complete performance of the season. A good thing, too, because Princeton (2-4-1 overall) will formally begin its title defense this Saturday when a talented Yale (4-3) team visits Roberts Stadium.
The Tigers soundly drubbed Hartford (3-5-1) in just about every way Wednesday night. Unlike many of Princeton’s previous games, however, statistical dominance translated to the most important category of all: the scoreboard.
Princeton defended with tenacity and executed with proficiency on offense, all of which netted the team a 3-0 victory.
“Scoring three goals while also securing our first shutout was a huge confidence booster. We have been playing well during certain lengths of every game we have played, but the results have unfortunately not shown this,” senior defenderand tri-captain Melissa Seitz said. “Now, heading into league play, we know what we are able to do, and by beating Hartford [Wednesday] night, we were able to execute everything that has been preached.”
The Tigers will likely need a repeat performance in order to take down the talented, if inconsistent, Bulldogs.
Yale opened its season on a tear: Through their first three games, the Bulldogs outscored their opponents by an impressive 12-0 margin. All three victories came at home, including one against a common opponent, Hofstra.
Yale routed the Pride 3-0 on its home turf. Princeton fell to Hofstra in its season opener, 2-1.
Leading the charge for the Bulldogs is forward Becky Brown, who has scored seven of the team’s 14 goals on the season.
No one else on the Yale team has more than two. Perhaps even more importantly, Brown has scored in three of Yale’s four wins. Still, junior midfielder and tri-captain Kayleigh Iatarola said she remains confident in the Tigers’ ability to shut Brown down.
“We have dealt with fast forwards before, and we will come across many more. If we stay tight with our marks and pressure the ball beginning with our forwards, we should lessen the time she gets on the ball,” Iatarola said. “I am confident in our back line and am not worried any more about Brown than I’d be with any other forward.”
Since their scorching start, however, the Bulldogs have cooled off rapidly. Yale dropped its next three games, two of which were at home, and scored only one goal over that stretch.
Like the Tigers, though, the Bulldogs righted the ship this week with a 1-0 victory over Quinnipiac. As a result, both teams will head into their first Ivy League contest with a bit of momentum.
Yet whereas Yale seemed to be playing its best right out of the gate, Princeton is coming off its best performance to date. And a large part of that showing was certainly due to the play of the team’s underclassmen.
It was inevitable that the Tigers would undergo an adjustment period as they assimilated a talented group of freshmen, but those freshmen may have figured it out. Freshmen midfielder Rachel Saunders and forward Jen Hoy both scored goals in the victory over Hartford, and freshman midfielder Stephanie Iantorno notched an assist. So far this season, 17 of Princeton’s 21 points have come from underclassmen.
“The freshmen are quick learners,” Iatarola said. “They have each contributed in their own way already in all aspects of the game. We had a rough start, but they have been willing to push through along with everyone else. This weekend is when the true test begins, and I have no doubt in my mind that we are ready for it.”
Add young talent to veteran leadership — senior forward and tri-captain Marci Pasenello scored the second goal Wednesday — and you’ve drafted a formula for success.
The Tigers triumphed over the Bulldogs last year, but success didn’t come easily. Princeton claimed a heavily contested 1-0 victory over Yale in New Haven, Conn., then, and Seitz said she expects more of the same this time around.
“Last year we beat Yale 1-0 on their field off a corner kick, but the game certainly was a bloodbath. They are a strong team with some talented players,” Seitz said. “We just need to focus on playing our game, defending hard but also putting some in the back of the net … I have no doubt it will be an intense battle.”
The Tigers will be looking to record their first home victory over Yale since 2003.
Princeton aims to build a distinctive home-field edge that will last throughout league play in its relatively new Roberts Stadium.
“It is going to be intense and physical, but I am so excited to have it on our home field,” Iatarola said.
The Tigers’ quest to finish atop the Ivies begins Saturday at 5 p.m.
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