ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The No. 6-ranked Princeton University moved to one game away from claiming the No. 1 seed for the upcoming Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division I Championship – and a single game shy of coming up short – as the Tigers fell to host/No. 12 the University of Michigan, 7-6, and wrestled down Bucknell University, 17-6, in CWPA Division I action at Canham Natatorium.
Due to Michigan finishing 2-0 on the day and the Tigers notching a 1-1 mark, the Wolverines and Princeton now stand deadlocked at 8-1 in league competition with one game to play for both squads. Michigan has a date with No. 15 Harvard University on Sunday, April 15, while Princeton takes on Saint Francis University. A Michigan victory over the Crimson and a Tigers loss to Saint Francis hands the No. 1 seed for the upcoming CWPA Division I Championship on Friday-Sunday, April 28-30, at Princeton to the Wolverines. A Princeton win combined with a Michigan loss to Harvard gives the Tigers the No. 1 seed without a tiebreaker scenario.
However, if both Michigan and Princeton win, the Maize & Blue and Black & Orange will conclude the year tied at 9-1 in CWPA Division I action. In this case, the goal differential between the two teams in their regular season league meetings comes into play. Although Michigan topped Princeton by a single goal today, Princeton wins the tiebreaker by the narrowest of margins due to holding a 11-9 head-to-head victory from April 2 at Brown University.
The second meeting between the perennial league powers went down to the final minute.
The first quarter was played at feverish pace with six goals combined. Neither team led by more than a goal as a tally from Michigan’s Kata Utassy set the contest at three-all. The two teams added goals in the second quarter making it four-all entering halftime.
Michigan began the second half with three straight goals before two consecutive tallies from Kayla Yelensky got Princeton back within one at 7-6 with 2:01 left on the fourth quarter clock. The Tigers had several possessions but couldn’t find the equalizer to fall to the Wolverines.
For Princeton, Yelensky finished with a hat-trick. Jovana Sekulic, Kaila Carroll and Annie Robinson dented the twine once in support of a four save performance by goalkeeper Lindsey Lucas.
The fates were more favorable for the Tigers versus Bucknell.
After the Bison scored the first goal of the game, the Tigers rolled out with seven straight goals. Princeton’s offense hardly let up, taking a 9-2 lead into halftime.
Head coach Derek Ellingson‘s group scored twice in the third frame but solidified an impressive victory with a six-goal fourth quarter.
Princeton had nine different goal scorers with Shanna Davidson notching three markers. Rachael Carver, Cici Stewart, Sekulic, Robinson, Carroll and Meera Burghardt accounted for pairs with Ava Houlahan and Kate Mallery tacking on solo tallies.
Lucas made three saves to earn Princeton’s 26th win of the season.
Information courtesy Princeton University Athletics Communications
