Field Hockey comes back against Columbia, narrowly falls to Duke

The No. 12 Princeton Women’s Field Hockey team (7-5 overall, 3-0 Ivy) shut out the Columbia Lions (6-5, 1-2) with a victory under the lights in New York on Friday. The loss was Columbia's first on its home turf this season and marked the end of its three-game winning streak. The last time the Lions and Tigers faced one another, Princeton had the final word in an overtime thriller. Columbia held a 3-2 lead with just under four minutes to go, but current sophomore back Nicole Catalino scored twice to clutch the win for Orange and Black. Last year’s nail-biting victory was a much more exciting match for spectators, but this year’s domination certainly wasn’t upsetting any Princeton fans either. The Tigers began with great momentum right from the start, with three quick goals in the first half. Just five minutes into the game, Junior striker Ryan McCarthy tallied her eighth goal of the year with some terrific stickhandling and a shot to the far post. Senior back Hailey Reeves proceeded to give the Tigers a two-goal lead five minutes later off of a redirection. Finally, with a little less than four minutes left in the first half, senior midfielder Cat Caro pushed the gap to 3-0. Caro continued to dominate in the second half with a goal less than a minute into it and two more in the 42nd and 65th minutes.

On Sunday, the team was back in the Orange Bubble on Bedford Field to match up against No. 2 Duke (11-2, 3-1). After dropping their first unsuccessful ACC battle of the season Friday at Syracuse, the Blue Devils were hungry for a win. While Sunday’s game was a thriller, the Tigers unfortunately didn’t achieve the same success as Friday night. Duke junior back Alyssa Chillano put away a penalty stroke in the 79th minute to get the win for her team in overtime. The game-winning play began with tackle inside the Duke circle that set up the team’s best scoring opportunity of the overtime period. Chillano hit the ball into the top left corner to tally her second overtime game winner of the season.

Like Friday night though, Orange and Black played a strong first half, holding the edge in shots and corners during the first 35 minutes of play. However, Duke capitalized on a lone corner opportunity toward the end of the half. Chillano fired her ninth goal of the season on assists by freshman Margaux Paolino and junior Ashley Kristen. Princeton followed up with a goal, but it was disallowed on account of dangerous play. The Tigers put a point on the scoreboard though on their next trip up the field when sophomore striker Sophia Tornetta recovered a rebound and put it back to tie the game in the 54th minute of play. The Blue Devils looked to respond quickly, but failed with back-to-back unsuccessful attempts at the cage. The match went into overtime, where a foul in the circle prompted Chillano’s game-winning penalty shot.

Orange and Black’s schedule continues next Saturday against Brown at Bedford Field at noon and then against Towsend at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Both battles can be watched at Bedford Field or followed online at the Ivy League Digital Network.