Field Hockey ends weekend with wins against Dartmouth and American

No. 13 Princeton women’s field hockey (5-3, 1-0 Ivy) had a successful weekend, with a 4-0 shutout in their Ivy League opener at home against Dartmouth (3-4, 0-1 Ivy) on Saturday, and a 2-1 victory over the American University Eagles (6-3, 2-0) on Sunday at Jacobs Field.

The 11-time defending conference champs had Saturday’s game in the bag from the opening whistle until the final horn. Princeton out-attempted the visitors from Hanover, 33-2, and finished with a 19-2 edge in shots on goal. Senior midfielder/striker Cat Caro took her first attempt just five minutes into the game and the team kept its momentum every minute following. At ten minutes, Freshman midfielder Carlotta von Gierke stole the ball and dished it off to Caro, who got by a defender and knocked in a backhanded shot to put the first point on the board. Shortly after, junior striker Ryan McCarthy struck on a direct shot off a corner. The last goal of the first half was scored by sophomore midfielder/striker Jane Donio-Enscoe to make it 3-0 going into intermission. The game came full circle when Caro tallied the last goal to make it 4-0.

On Sunday, McCarthy had both goals in the first half, picking up her team-high sixth and seventh goals of the year. The loss dropped American to 6-3 overall on the season McCarthy got the Tigers on the board as she scored on a penalty stroke in the eighth minute. After an American corner, sophomore midfielder/striker Casey Swezey found McCarthy streaking down the field where the junior blasted a shot from the right wing into the back of the net to make it 2-0.

The Eagles earned a penalty corner with time running down and trailing 2-0. Angela Virtu took the initial shot, and a save by Princeton freshman goalkeeper Grace Baylis came back to her, who scored with 6:25 to play. The Eagles played stronger in the second half, but Princeton was able to hang on for the win.

The Orange and Black will continue with their schedule next weekend with trips to Yale on Oct. 1 and Penn State on Oct. 2.