Field Hockey: Women split games against top teams

Princeton fell 2-1 to Virginia (11-1) on Friday in Charlottesville but came back to end its skid by beating the Cardinals (9-5) 3-0 on Sunday at Class of 1952 Stadium. “We really need to just get back to playing Tiger field hockey, and we were able to achieve that [on Sunday] against a very, very good opponent,” head coach Kristen Holmes-Winn said.

The Tigers started off aggressively on Sunday against Louisville. In the seventh minute, junior attacker Kathleen Sharkey shot toward goal off sophomore midfielder Julia Reinprecht’s corner. Louisville goalkeeper Erin Conrad made the save, but Reinprecht picked up the rebound and put the Tigers on the board early.

“We’ve been working on corners,” Reinprecht said. “I really needed to step it up on those, so I was happy to get good return on our offensive corners.”

Princeton extended its lead in the ninth minute when Sharkey drove down the left side into the circle and beat the keeper inside the post on the far side. The goal was her nation-leading 20th of the season.

“After the last couple of games, we really wanted to concentrate on getting the first goal first,” Sharkey said.

Junior midfielders Allison Behringer, Alyssa Pyros and Katie Reinprecht as well as sophomore Michelle Cesan all attempted shots before the Cardinals had their first attempt on goal in the 29th minute on a corner.

Before the end of the half, Louisville had another opportunity off a penalty corner, but freshman goalkeeper Christina Maida blocked the shot. The Tigers outshot the Cardinals 9-3 in the first half.

“Today, our layers were really good,” senior back and co-captain Alexandra Douwes said. “Even if they made it past one person, the pressure was right back on.”

Princeton came out firing in the second half. Sharkey and Cesan racked up several shots on goal but were unable to get past Conrad. In the 42nd minute, Julia Reinprecht picked up a redirect off Katie Reinprecht’s shot but deflected it just wide of the goal.

The score held until the 67th minute, when Katie Reinprecht was tripped in the scoring circle in front of the goal. Cesan took the penalty stroke, and she buried a bullet into the top left corner of the net for her eighth goal and second successful penalty stroke of the year.

The Tigers started off dominating Virginia in Charlottesville, gaining six penalty corners and five shots on goal before the Cavaliers could manage a corner or a shot. Sharkey, the Reinprecht sisters and Behringer all had attempts on goal, but Virginia goalkeeper Kim Katsuk shut down any opportunities for Princeton. After Virginia managed its first shot in the 16th minute, the Cavaliers started to push the Tigers.

“It is frustrating because you’re using so much energy,” Julia Reinprecht said. “You’re coming at them again and again, and the defense has just been holding.”

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The two teams traded shots and corners until the 29th minute. On a corner, Virginia midfielder Haley Carpenter fed forward Elly Buckley, who passed back to Carpenter. She found the back of the net. Princeton found itself down by one goal entering halftime. The Tigers outshot the Cavaliers 9-8 and had eight corners to Virginia’s five.

The Cavaliers struck again early in the second half. On their second corner of the night, Carpenter again found Buckley, who shot toward goal this time. Princeton goalkeeper Christina Maida saved the ball, but Virginia midfielder Tara Puffenberger picked up the rebound and shot it past Maida.

The Tigers responded in the 45th minute when Katie Reinprecht drove down the left side and beat the keeper to pull Princeton within one.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, they did not manage another shot on goal for the rest of the game. The Virginia defense allowed only one Princeton corner and prevented any possible comeback by the Tigers. The Cavaliers also outshot Princeton 6-1 in the second half en route to their victory.