The field hockey team staged a furious second-half comeback to upset the nation’s top-ranked team, North Carolina, 3-2 on Sunday afternoon to bring home Princeton’s first-ever field hockey national championship. The Tigers (21-1 overall, 7-0 Ivy League) broke through in their first appearance in the title game since 1998. The Tar Heels, the nation’s third-most successful team with six NCAA championships, settled for second place and saw their championship game record fall to 6-9.
“It feels unbelievable to be a national champion. Our team is on top of the world right now,” senior striker Kat Sharkey said in an email. “To be the number one team in the country is amazing ... It feels like a dream.”
The opening minutes saw North Carolina (23-2) attack Princeton’s defense with the offensive firepower that has made it the nation’s top-ranked squad. After squandering three penalty corners in the first 10 minutes, the Tar Heels broke through on their fourth try, as Charlotte Craddock rocketed a shot past junior goalie Christina Maida for a 1-0 lead.
In the following minutes, Princeton’s offense came alive. The Reinprecht sisters, junior midfielder Julia and senior midfielder Katie, set up a penalty corner and Sharkey knocked home her nation-leading 38th goal of the season.
Princeton continued to dominate possession for the remainder of the half, winning four penalty corners to North Carolina’s one and outshooting the Tar Heels 5-1. However, the Tigers couldn’t add to their goal tally, and the game went into the break tied at 1-1.
After the half, both sides again failed to capitalize on numerous penalty corners. The Tar Heels struck again 11 minutes into the half, when Craddock fed Katie Plyler from the top of the circle. Plyler poked a shot past Maida to give North Carolina a 2-1 edge.
Princeton did not equalize until the 57th minute. Sharkey’s shot rebounded off North Carolina goalkeeper Sassi Ammer and rolled to sophomore striker Allison Evans. Evans, alone at the far post, easily scored to tie the game.
Just minutes later, the Tigers struck again on what held up as the game-winning goal. Just as they did against Maryland in Friday’s semifinal, the Tigers won on a penalty stroke, this time off the stick of junior defender Amanda Bird.
Princeton held off a flurry of shots from North Carolina to secure the win. Though the Tigers were outshot 13-11 and took seven penalty corners to the Tar Heels’ 10, Maida came up with five saves in the second half to preserve the victory.
“She had an unbelievable season and really kept us in a lot of games,” Sharkey said of Maida. “She doesn’t get as much credit as she deserves. She is one of the best goalies in the country, and she played awesome this entire season.”
The weekend was truly one of resilience for the Tigers. On Friday, Princeton edged Maryland 3-2 in overtime to reach the final. The overtime victory was only Princeton’s second contest of the season to go to extra time and the first since a thrilling 3-2 win over Penn State in the first week of the season.
Against Maryland, Princeton took an early lead in the first four minutes. Sharkey took a long ball in the left corner, weaved her way through the Terrapins’ defense and launched a shot from the center past Maryland goalkeeper Natalie Hunter. But the Tigers surrendered their lead just minutes later, when Maryland’s Jill Witmer corralled a rebound off Maida and tapped it in from the left post.
Princeton reclaimed the lead before halftime on another Sharkey goal, when she put away her own rebound. Maryland equalized in the 58th minute on a penalty stroke by Ali McEvoy, which tied the score at 2-2 and proved to be the final goal in regulation. The Tigers launched an unrelenting offensive attack in the final few minutes but failed to break through, sending the game to overtime.
Less than six minutes into overtime, junior striker Michelle Cesan was fouled while shooting, earning a penalty stroke. Freshman midfielder Teresa Benevuti calmly scored to punch Princeton’s ticket to the championship game.
Both Reinprechts, Sharkey, Maida and Cesan earned All-Tournament honors, comprising nearly half of the 11-player team. Their efforts led Princeton to the first NCAA field hockey championship for an Ivy League school.
“Within the Ivy League, we don’t give scholarships and don’t get to practice as much as other teams, and for us to come out on top of all these big schools is just a testament to our amazing coaching staff and our talented student-athletes and all the hard work we have put into this season,” Maida said in an email.
For Sharkey and Katie Reinprecht — two of the most decorated players in program history — as well as the other seniors, Sunday’s championship was a storybook ending to stellar careers.
“I’m very sad to end my career at Princeton, but I feel very lucky to say that I ended my career with a smile on my face as a national champion,” Sharkey said. “My teammates and coaches are my best friends, and it just feels amazing that we all worked so hard and we won this together.”
The Tigers’ first national championship in field hockey continued a remarkable streak for the University as a whole. At least one Princeton athlete or team has won a national championship in each of the last 42 school years.
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