It was a clear, beautiful sky until thunderstorms decided to dampen the ground of Bedford Field.However, whatever the weather, rain or shine, there’s only one thing this Princeton field hockey team has known how to do as of late — taking down any team that crosses its path.
The Tigers (6-4 overall, 3-0 Ivy League), tied for first in the Ivy League and ranked No. 19 in the NCAA, continued their winning streak on Friday as they defeated the visiting Columbia Lions (5-5, 1-2). The win concluded Princeton’s three-game homestand, as they head onto the road with a four-game win streak.
Nothing about this past game, however, came easy. Princeton managed to take the lead early off a goal in the 12th minute by junior back Hailey Reeves, but the Lions would come right back, equalizing six minutes thereafter.
The Tigers would seize the lead once more off a beautiful run from freshman striker Sophia Tornetta. Senior striker Ryan McCarthy caught her heading up the middle and laid out to dish it to her for the routine score, her fifth on the season.
The Columbia team was undaunted, as the Lions amassed two goals to end the half. Princeton, despite coming out with a strong start, went into the half on the receiving end of a lightning-quick double counter-strike by Columbia. The Lions were able to put in two goals within a minute of each other to close the half, thus giving them a 3-2 lead as the teams prepared for the next round of play.
This Princeton team, however, is deep with offensive weapons. It’s also a team that, from freshmen to seniors, has shown poise in tough spots. After beating back an aggressive start to the second half by the Lions, the Tigers managed to get their offense going. Outshooting Columbia 6-4 in the period, they finally got their opportunity. It was one of their freshmen that proved the savior on the day — striker Nicole Catalino. Just four minutes away from suffering a Tigers loss, Catalino took the pass from senior striker Teresa Benvenuti at the top of the circle and sniped it in.
Having forced the game into overtime, the Tigers needed just one more goal for the comeback victory. They wouldn’t have to wait long — in the 72nd minute, Catalino came through once more, taking the assist from junior midfielder Cat Caro and finding the back of the net once more.
On the defensive side, senior goalie Anya Gersoff had two saves on the day. Gersoff continues to be among the higher-performing goalies in the league, with 56 saves on the season and a .700 save percentage.
With her sixth goal of the season (second most on the team), Catalino keeps her team at the top of the Ivy League standings, tied with Penn for first. Now, having concluded the homestand, the Tigers will start traveling for the first of a four-game road trip. They take on the Brown Bears next Saturday in Providence, R.I., at 12:00 p.m.
This game may have come down to the wire, but it is during these kind of games, Caro said, when the team bonds together as a unit, a trait that will be invaluable in the games ahead.
“I think it showed that we are one unit. We don’t give up, we don’t turn on each other, we kind of use each other to look at each and stay as one unit,” Caro said. “It’s something that’s going to be crucial going forward into the season.”
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