Princeton Purrs Past Stickwomen, 1-0

Princeton, ranked 19th nationally, squeezed past the Crimson field hockey team, 1-0, at Soldiers Field Saturday, removing Harvard from the Ivy League championship race.

The stickwomen now stand at 3-2 in the conference, while league-leading Dartmouth sports a 4-0-1 record with one game left to play.

The game's lone tally occured during the Crimson-dominated second half, when Princeton freshman Linda Riefler dribbled the ball past Harvard goalie Betty Ippolito with 32:15 remaining.

No Equal

The Crimson launched a spirited comeback, highlighted by crisp passes and fine stickwork, but couldn't notch the equalizer and the game ended with Tiger goalie Sue Kohler's shutout intact.

Although the first five minutes of the game belonged to Harvard, Princeton soon took control and proved the better team throughout the remainder of the first half.

Get Off of My Cloud

The Crimson defense rose to the occasion, however, and, sparked by several fine saves from Ippolito, repulsed the Tigers time after time, keeping the game scoreless.

Nodding Out

Riefler's peculiar goal came early in the second half and left the shivering spectators shaking their heads for the remainder of the game.

Princeton winger Lisa Pratt slapped a pass in front of the goalmouth, and Ippolito shifted her position to cut down the angle. The ball was misdirected, however, when it hit Riefler's stick and rolled slowly into the Harvard net, inches past Ippolito.

"I was following the cross," Ippolito said after the game. "A girl deflected it, I couldn't get back quick enough, and it went in."

The goal marked the turning point in the game. Moments later, the Crimson offense came alive, and many times threatened to score during the remaining minutes.

Harvard, 6-4 overall, racked up nine penalty corners in the second half, but, hampered by the near-frozen field and a tenacious Tiger goalmouth defense, managed only two shots as a result.

The ineffectiveness of its usually potent penalty corner play-involving a hand-stop followed by a shot--led the Crimson to change tactics after its fifth corner and attempt to work a forward free with short passes. But this was little improvement.

Do the Bump

"The first two didn't work because of the bumpy field," said Crimson forward Sarah Chubb, who attempted the hand-stops. "After that, it was nerves because I had missed the first two. We were all pretty tense in the second half." she added.

Coach Edie MacAusland was pleased with her team's second half play, despite the goal. "We wanted it, we exerted...it was a tough break," she said.