Princeton to open up CWPA tournament play against Harvard

The No. 17 Princeton women's water polo team (17-6 overall) will look to continue its streak of success this season at Harvard on Friday.

The Tigers have already faced off against the Crimson twice this season, first in a dual meet in March and later at a Collegiate Water Polo Association round-robin tournament at the University of Michigan this month. Princeton emerged victorious in both matches, with scores of 12-8 and 9-7 respectively. But Friday’s match holds special significance for Princeton. The Tigers will be playing in the CWPA tournament, where they will fight for potential back-to-back CWPA championship titles. Princeton won a thrilling 7-6 victory over the Indiana Hoosiers in the CWPA tournament finals last year to clinch its third title in four years and will be looking to replicate its history of tournament success this year — the road to the trophy starts with vanquishing the Crimson. Referencing Friday’s matchup with Harvard, junior center defender Morgan Hallock said, “This game is at their home pool and during the big final tournament, so even though we’ve met a couple times before this season, this is the game that counts.”

Princeton enters Friday’s game having won three out of its final four regular season games. Two weeks ago, the Tigers trounced George Washington University 15-2 and Brown 13-6 in two decisive matches. They also beat No. 21 Hartwick College, a perennially dogged contender, in a 13-12 thriller. Though Princeton dropped its final match of the weekend to underdog Bucknell 10-9, the Tigers seem to be entering this upcoming match with plenty of momentum and skill. In contrast, the pressure is on for the Crimson after their tough 9-7 loss to the Tigers at Michigan earlier this month.

Harvard is not to be underestimated, however. Both of Princeton’s wins over Harvard have been quite close, and Hallock cites the Crimson’s speed in the water as a dangerous strength. To eke out victory again, Princeton must replicate its strength and spirit on both offensive and defensive ends. The Tigers rely strongly on a multifaceted offense that can call on multiple players to score; five Princeton players have scored at least 24 goals each over the season. In particular, the offense is spearheaded by sophomore utility Haley Wan, with 50 goals and 41 assists; Hallock, with 38 goals and 7 assists; and utility Lindsay Kelleher, who has turned out an impressive freshman season with 42 goals and 34 assists. Defensively, the Tigers are led by stellar goalkeeping from sophomores Helena Van Brande and Chelsea Johnson. Princeton has also been extremely aggressive on the defensive end of the pool, coming up with frequent steals. Wan has 32 steals, followed closely by Kelleher with 22.

Princeton’s goals for Friday’s matchup are clear. Said Hallock firmly, “Winning this game gets us closer to the CWPA finals which is where we want to be.” Though the Tigers haven’t swept all their opponents, they’ve had a solid record, one that has demonstrated their skill and spirit in the water, and one that gives them more than a fighting chance once again for the CWPA title.