Princeton Knocks Off Penn State, 4-2, In NCAA Field Hockey First Round Game
11/11/2000 7:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Nov. 11, 2000
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Senior Hilary Matson (Marathon, N.Y.) scored a goal in the first half and another in the second to lift the Princeton Tigers to a 4-2 victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions in a NCAA Field Hockey First Round match at the University of Maryland. The Tigers advance to the second round to face the host Terrapins tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the Artificial Turf Facility in College Park.
"Penn State is a strong team and we were able to take them out of their game," stated Princeton head coach Beth Bozman. "We'll need to put two strong halves together tomorrow [in the Second Round]."
Penn State was first on the scoreboard, jumping out to a 1-0 lead less than five minutes into the game on a goal from Maegan Gaile (Collegeville, Pa.). The play was set up by sophomore Jill Martz (Dalmatia, Pa.), who slid a pass to Gaile on a fast break. Gaile gathered the pass on the left side of the cage and slapped it past the goaltender.
The Tigers answered with four consecutive goals, the first of which came from Matson at 21:35 in the first half. The senior took a centering pass from sophomore Ilvy Friebe (Bonn, Germany) off a fast break and fired it home. Princeton made it 2-1 at 8:42 on an unassisted goal by senior Kellie Maul (Marlton, N.J.). Maul collected a rebound in front of the Penn State goal and directed it past Lady Lion Annie Zinkavich (Kingston, Pa.). Princeton went into halftime with a 2-1 lead.
Penn State outshot the Tigers 9-3 in the second half, but Princeton never relinquished the lead. The Tigers' third goal came at 34:21 as Matson notched her second score of the game unassisted on a fast break. Senior Melanie Meerschwam (Amstelveen, Netherlands) made it 4-1 at 19:22 with an unassisted tally from in front of the net.
Penn State cut the lead to 4-2 just over two minutes later on an unassisted goal from senior Traci Anselmo (Selinsgrove, Pa.), but the Lady Lions could not make it any closer after that. Big Ten Player of the Year Anselmo had a chance to cut the lead to one on a penalty stroke with 10:32 remaining, but was unable to convert.
Princeton's Kelly Baril (Peabody, Mass.) made three saves in the Tigers' goal. Zinkavich and junior Heidi Leuchte (Hampstead, N.H.) combined for six saves in Penn State's cage.
Penn State (17-5) 1 1 -- 2 Princeton (13-3) 2 2 -- 4
GOALS: PSU - Maegan Gaile (Jill Martz), 30:07 (1st), Traci Anselmo (un), 17:15 (2nd). Princeton - Hilary Matson (Ilvy Friebe), 21:35 (1st), Kellie Maul (un), 8:42 (1st), Hilary Matson (un), 34:21 (2nd), Melanie Meerschwam (un), 19:22 (2nd). SHOTS: PSU 10, Princeton 15. PENALTY CORNERS: PSU 5, Princeton 2. SAVES: PSU - Annie Zinkavich (5 saves, 3 goals allowed, 35:29 minutes), Heidi Leuchte (1 save, 1 goal allowed, 34:21 minutes). Princeton - Kelly Baril (3 saves, 2 goals allowed, 70:00) minutes). DEFENSIVE SAVES: PSU - 2. Princeton - 2. CARDS: PSU - Heather Conroy (Green), 18:12 (1st). ATTENDANCE: 667.
