SAN DIEGO, Calif. — No. 14-ranked Princeton University finished its participation at San Diego State University’s Aztec Invitational by dropping an 11-10 heartbreaker to No. 9 Indiana University on a last second shot prior to performing a 14-6 plucking of No. 24/Division III No. 1 Pomona-Pitzer Colleges.
Taking on Pomona-Pitzer, the Tigers were first to strike via an opening salvo by Charlotte Riches.
The Sagehens balanced the scoreboard a minute later before the Tigers responded by adding three more goals with Shanna Davidson scoring two and Ava Houlahan adding another.
Pomona-Pitzer tossed in an answer and Kendall Wyer delivered for Princeton as the Orange & Black held a 5-2 lead following eight minutes of competition.
The Tigers, hungry for more, got to work again in the second quarter by adding three to the lead with Emese Batizi, Riches and Houlahan finding the net. Pomona-Pitzer got one back to close within 8-3 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Davidson scored three in a row off a penalty and two run-of-play goals. Houlahan deposited her third marker of the contest and Vivian Golub converted on a power play to make it 13-3 in favor of the Tigers.
Pomona-Pitzer got two goals back in the fourth quarter. Both sides added one more to their tallies as Houlahan notched her fourth of the game on the way to a 14-6 victory.
Against Indiana, the Tigers stayed even with the Hoosiers to ending the first quarter in a 4-3 deficit with Davidson (two) and Olivia Krotts accounting for Princeton’s offense.
Davidson and Houlahan scored in the second quarter as Princeton pulled even before falling behind by a solo score once again to trail 6-5 at halftime.
Princeton took a 9-8 lead with two goals by Davidson and tallies by from Ally Lurie and Riches, but the Hoosier delivered responses to tie the Tigers at nine-all with 5:28 left in the fourth quarter.
Houlahan returned the lead to Princeton at 10-9 with 5:05 to play in regulation, but the Hoosiers had the last word by Grace Klingler netted the tying score with 2:17 on the clock prior to goalkeeper Jasmine Higgs hitting a tank-long open-net heave at the buzzer for the deciding factor. The buzzer-beating goal was caused by Princeton coming forward to create a seven-on-six offensive set with goalkeeper Lindsey Lucas, leaving the Tigers’ cage unprotected. It was the second full-court toss by Higgs in the final three seconds of the game as the netminder hurled it the length of the tank with the ball going out of the field of play to the left of the Tigers’ goal. Princeton attempted to play for the win once more, but a turnover with one second left allowed Higgs to attempt another Hail Mary with the ball sailing crossing the goal-line for the terminal strike.
Information courtesy Princeton University Athletics Communications
