PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The No. 14-ranked Princeton University women’s water polo team collected two victories at Brown University’s Katherine Moran Aquatics Center during the 2026 Harvard Invitational as the Tigers turned back the host/No. 20 Bears, 16-9, and Long Island University, 13-10, to extend their winning streak to 14 games.
Facing the host Bears in a Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) contest, Princeton needed to rally back in the first quarter to overcome Brown.
Trailing by one after the first quarter, the Tigers ripped off four consecutive goals from four different players as Ally Lurie, Ava Houlahan, Didi Evans and Emese Batizi on the way to entering halftime with a 6-4 halftime lead.
The Tigers opened the second half with three more tallies to go up five, 9-4, and held a 11-7 advantage after 24 minutes of action. The Bears had closed the gap to three, but Margaret Brandin recorded a goal with under a minute left to keep the home team at bay.
Brown never threatened the rest of the way. Shanna Davidson and Houlahan each posted a hat trick to pace the offense. Batizi and Charlotte Riches deposited pairs of goals, while Kendall Wyer, Vivian Golub, Margaret Brandin, Evans, Lurie and Olivia Krotts put away solo markers.
Lindsey Lucas had 13 stops in the cage for the Tigers.
Closing out the day against Long Island, the Tigers began the contest with the first four tallies and led 4-1 after eight minutes using four different goal scorers (Batizi, Krotts, Evans, Houlahan).
After another goal from Houlahan, Long Island ran off three straight to cut the deficit to one at 5-4. Krotts and Lurie countered the LIU run with goals to help Princeton hold a 7-5 halftime advantage.
The Tigers used a 4-1 sprint to begin the third quarter to go up by five scored and eventually led 11-7 with eight minutes remaining in regulation. Princeton put the contest away with tallies from Riches and Evans to set the scoreboard at 13-7 with 4:45 to go. Long Island got within three, 13-10, with 1:22 to play, but could not get closer prior to the expiration of the clock.
Evans led the Tigers with four goals and four assists. while Sophie Bollyky Purcell produced 12 stops in the win.
Information courtesy Princeton University Athletics Communications
