W. Hockey Sweeps Princeton, Advances in ECAC Playoffs

The Princeton women’s hockey team’s charade is over. At season’s end, the Tigers (15-13-3) stood above Harvard (20-10-2) in the ECAC North standings. But any doubt as to who was the superior team was put to rest this weekend as Harvard swept Princeton 2-0 (3-2, 3-1) in the ECAC North quarterfinals.

Only the fine play of Princeton sophomore Megan Van Beusekom, the First Team All-Ivy goaltender, kept the Tigers in the games, as the close scores belied Harvard’s dominance.

Despite trailing early in the first game, the Crimson outshot the Tigers 44-21 to win the opener 3-2. Though the score was tied at one going into the third period of game two, the Crimson would ultimately hold a 43-13 shot advantage in the 3-1 victory.

With these two fine performances under their belts, the Crimson players are fired up for their semifinal match against tournament host Dartmouth on Saturday. The Big Green defeated the Crimson 3-2 twice this season.

“We’re due,” said junior center Kalen Ingram. “We can beat anyone when we’re on our game.”

Harvard 3, Princeton 1

Ingram led the way with an assist in the first and then two goals in the third as Harvard closed out the 2-0 sweep of Princeton.

Ingram broke a 1-1 tie midway through the third, redirecting sophomore winger Lauren McAuliffe’s pass into the net on a two on one.

She scored Harvard’s insurance goal unassisted with four and a half minutes remaining, simply by winning the faceoff, creating some room for herself and firing a shot into the net.

After tripling the Tigers in shots, 33-11 through two periods, it was a long time coming.

“[Van Beusekom] made some good saves,” Ingram said. “It was just a matter of time before we put one in.”

Harvard opened the scoring just after a powerplay six minutes into the game. Ingram sent the puck to freshman linemate Nicole Corriero at the point. Freshman winger Kat Sweet, now a regular on the Crimson powerplay, tipped Corriero’s shot past Van Beusekom for the goal.

Princeton senior Jessica Fedderly tied the score at the 10-minute mark of the second period, but the Tigers did not generate much offense in the second half of the game.

Harvard 3, Princeton 2

It was the North York Junior Aeros show on Friday as former select team members Corriero and Harvard freshman Ashley Banfied scored all three Crimson goals in the team’s 3-2 victory over the Tigers.

The Crimson clawed back from a 2-0 deficit in the second period to take a 1-0 series lead in the best of three, with Banfield scoring the first two goals and Corriero coming up with the gamewinner.

“Being down 2-0, you would think we’d be worried,” Corriero said. “We all knew deep down inside that we had what it takes, that we are the better team, that we deserved to win and that we would win.”

Corriero would team up with her linemate Ingram to net the game winner with the three and a half minutes to play. Ingram sent the puck to Corriero in the neutral zone. The pair broke in on a two-on-one, and as Ingram distracted the defender, Corriero beat Van Beusekom five-hole.

First and second period goals from Princeton forward Gretchen Anderson gave the Tigers their 2-0 lead before Banfield’s solo performance began.

Seven minutes into the second period, on the powerplay the Toronto native received the puck from Corriero at her own blue line and promptly took it end-to-end as she deked by a defender, fired a shot, grabbed her own rebound and scored.

“I got lucky,” Banfield said. “I somehow managed to get by the defender.”

Ingram saw it differently.

“She made the defender look like she didn’t know where she was,” Ingram said. “Ashley knows how to dangle,” Corriero added.

Corriero pointed to the inspirational quality of the goal.

“Her goal was pure hard work and second effort,” Corriero said. “Seeing her do that lifted the whole team.”

The solo performance became an Aero duet midway through the third period. Corriero sent a pass to Banfield cutting through the slot, who fired it past Van Beusekom for the goal.

“I was lucky again,” Banfield said. “It was a perfect pass.”

Ingram once again had a different opinion.

“It takes real smarts to see that opening,” Ingram said.

Banfield and Corriero had not planned on such a performance.

“It just worked out that way,” Banfield said. “It was really cool the way we fed off each other.”