CLAREMONT, Calif. — The No. 14-ranked Princeton University women’s water polo team took care of the host/Division III No. 1/No. 24 Pomona-Pitzer Colleges Sagehens, 12-1, at Haldeman Pool.
Lindsey Lucas recorded 18 saves and did not allow a goal until the 2:06 mark of the third quarter, a span of 20 minutes and 54 seconds.
The one goal permitted marks the fewest scores allowed by a Princeton women’s water polo team since a 13-1 defeat of Mercyhurst University on April 6, 2013. Further, it marks the first time the Tigers limited an institution from California to a single tally since Princeton picked up a 5-1 victory versus the University of California-San Diego on February 27, 2005 to place 15th in the 24-team Gaucho Invitational at the University of California-Santa Barbara. In the history of the program, Princeton has limited back-to-back opponents to one-goal once in the team’s history as the Tigers claimed 13-1 and 12-1 defeats of Queens College and the University of Maryland on March 25 and 27, respectively, in 2004.
Olivia Krotts scored a hat trick in the first half as Princeton led 6-0 at the break. The Tigers added four more goals in the third quarter before cruising to the 12-1 victory.
Krotts led the Tigers with four goals, while Shanna Davidson and Vivian Golub each had two tallies. Charlotte Riches, Ava Houlahan, Didi Evans and Hadley Harbilas accounted for the remaining two scores with Golub, Davidson (three), Harbilas, Katie McCullough and Kendall Wyer credited with assists.
Krotts opened the scoring for Princeton by connecting for natural (7:36) and man-up (5:56) strikes before Davidson (5:36, penalty shot; 55 seconds) sandwiched a marker by Golub (3:53) to stake the Tigers to a 5-0 margin after eight minutes of action.
Krotts completed her first half hat-trick with 2:53 left in the second quarter via a power-play conversion to build Princeton’s lead to 6-0 entering halftime.
Golub (7:07), Houlahan (5:42) and Riches (5:02) expanded the gap to 9-0 in the third quarter prior to Bella McGowan (2:06, man-up) solving Lucas for the Saghens. Evans (38 seconds) closed out the third quarter offense prior to Harbilas (3:04) and Krotts (1:57) putting away insurance goals for an 11-score victory.
