Field Hockey: Postseason run ends at UConn, 3-2

The field hockey team saw its season come to a close on Saturday afternoon, when the Tigers fell 3-2 to No. 4-seed Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies took an early lead and never let go, though the Tigers kept the game competitive throughout.

Nearly a month ago, when Princeton and Connecticut first met in Storrs, Conn., the Huskies won 3-1 despite a tough effort by the visitors.

“In our first game against UConn, they really broke down our structure,” senior midfielder and captain Erin Jennings said. “We knew we would need to adjust our defense to make the changes we needed. They knew we would be making changes [on Saturday], so they changed their structure around, too.”

In Saturday’s game, the Tigers struggled in the first half to penetrate the Huskies’ solid defense. With a veteran back line, Connecticut prevented Princeton from getting a shot off in the first 35 minutes. The Huskies’ midfield also presented a tough threat for the Orange and Black. Princeton head coach Kristen Holmes-Winn credited Connecticut with an impressive first-half performance, which limited her team’s ability to apply pressure on the ball.

“[UConn] improved a lot. They moved the ball with a lot of speed and were able to get in and around our structure,” Jennings said.

Eight minutes into the action, forward Chloe Hunnable converted on a penalty corner to put the Huskies ahead 1-0. Neither team scored any goals for the remainder of the half. Sophomore goalie Christina Maida made four saves for the Tigers to keep the score close, and Princeton made adjustments at halftime to create better matchups.

“Our team’s [defense] in the first half really kept us in the game,” Maida said. “We had to change how we ran our defense against their corner because their team has one of the hardest to defend corners.”

“Our coach made some changes at the half, and they helped us get a lot more attacking opportunities,” Jennings said.

During the second half, the Tigers began to execute better all over the field. But their opponents still struck first, as Huskies forward Anne Jeute sent the ball into the back of the net on an unassisted play, giving her team a two-goal advantage.

“Anna is one of the best midfielders in the country and a real spark offensively for us,” Connecticut head coach Nancy Stevens said in a post-game interview. “Everyone on our team played great and this was one of our best performances of the season.”

The Tigers responded with their first goal one minute later, cutting the Huskies’ lead back to one. Freshman striker Allison Evans scored her team-high 11th goal of the season, assisted by fellow freshman Sydney Kirby, a combination that Princeton has relied on all season.

Jeute struck again to grab the eventual game-winner in the 49th minute, and 20 minutes passed with the score steady at 3-1. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, sophomore midfielder Kelsey Byrne converted a penalty corner for a second goal, but there was not enough time to try and fight for another.

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“With one more 35-minute period, we think we could have won,” Maida said. “Our team really came together this season, especially in recent games. It was a growth year, but we all really care about this team.”

Maida recorded one additional save in the second half, finishing the game with five. Overall, the Huskies outshot the Tigers 16-3, sending eight attempts on frame.

Last year, Princeton reached the national quarterfinals, where Virginia defeated the Tigers. Although the Tigers did not make it as deep in the tournament this season, they exceeded some expectations, as the team had to make adjustments to fill holes left by four members of the national team.

“I thought UConn was great today, but I was happy to see my team get it together and play better in the second half,” Holmes-Winn said.

Connecticut beat No. 7 Penn State by the same 3-2 score on Sunday, earning a spot in the semifinals.

“I am so proud of my team,” Jennings said, reflecting on her final season. “We have come so far since our loss to Dartmouth and considering the four players we were missing. We showed so much courage and proved a lot by making it into the tournament, which is for the top 16 teams.”

“We are all really proud of how we played [on Saturday],” Maida said. “We kept up and played our hearts out. It is a sad end to the season, especially for the seniors, but there was a point this season where we never thought we would make it this far.”