Fourth-Ranked UVa Tallies 2-1 Victory Over No. 3 Princeton

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The fourth-ranked Virginia field hockey team (11-1) held on for a 2-1 victory over third-ranked Princeton (8-2) Friday at the University Hall Turf Field. Senior Haley Carpenter and sophomore Tara Puffenberger scored in the win for the Cavaliers, who improved to 6-1 this season over ranked opponents.

The UVa defense recorded a solid performance, led in the back by freshman Chloe Pendlebury (Perth, Australia) and senior goalkeeper Kim Kastuk (Putnam Valley, N.Y.), who finished with six saves.

“Kim, Chloe and the back four really kept us in it until we could gain some momentum,” Virginia head coach Michele Madison said. “We definitely had some jitters there to start because we weren’t connecting on our passes. Our defense held us in.”

After the Tigers dominated the first 10 minutes of play, which included four penalty corners, it was Virginia who struck first.

On a penalty corner, Carpenter injected the ball that set up an Elly Buckley (Perth, Australia) shot from the top of the circle, but instead Buckley dished the ball to Carpenter, who was sitting on the left post. Carpenter put it past Princeton goalkeeper Christina Maida to go ahead 1-0.

The Cavaliers held a 1-0 lead at halftime, though Princeton outshot Virginia in the first period 9-8 and took eight corners to UVa’s five.

Just 1:10 into the second half, the Cavaliers struck again for a 2-0 advantage. On another corner, it was Buckley who took the first shot, which was saved by Maida. Puffenberger (Dallas, Pa.) scooped up the rebound off her pads and hit it in for another UVa score.

In the 45th minute, the Tigers were able to cut the lead in half when Katie Reinprecht stole the ball and found enough space for an open shot. But Virginia maintained its 2-1 lead for the final 25 minutes of play.

For the game, the Cavaliers outshot Princeton 14-10 after a 6-1 advantage in the second half. Virginia also took 10 penalty corners while the Tigers finished with nine.

Maida tallied six saves for the Princeton, while Reinprecht also recorded a defensive save on a UVa corner.

Virginia continues Atlantic Coast Conference play with a 1 p.m. contest at top-ranked North Carolina next Saturday, Oct. 16.