In 1995 and 1996, the softball team wore the crown of undefeated Ivy League champions. But last year, the Tigers were dethroned by Brown, costing them the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament that accompanies the Ivy title.
This weekend, Princeton (16-10 overall) will begin its quest to reclaim the coveted title when the Tigers travel to face Cornell (17-2, 2-0 Ivy League) today and Penn (7-16, 2-2) tomorrow for its Ivy openers and attempt to prove that Princeton is still the power in the league.
"A lot of teams in the Ivies think that they can beat us," freshman catcher Devon Keefe said. "We have to show them that they're wrong."
Hot
Coming off a seven-game winning streak, the Tigers have generated a lot of positive momentum rolling into Ivy play. But Cornell, with its strong offense, will present a tough challenge.
"Cornell's been getting a lot better in recent years," senior outfielder Bevin Keenen said. "They've got some power hitters."
The Big Red has been hitting well all season, led by Tracey Quinn with a .433 batting average and 12 RBI, and Jamie Reed with a .403 batting average and 17 RBI. Cornell solidly defeated Penn twice last Saturday, 13-0 and 5-0.
To combat Cornell's solid attack, the Tiger defense will need to continue keeping errors to a minimum.
"Our outfielders are going to have to be on their toes," Keefe said. "But I think we've been playing good defense lately."
In the outfield, the Tigers will be significantly boosted by the expected return of Keenen, who seriously cut the back of her knee last week against Drexel.
Rookie Star
Princeton's offense has struggled of late, but the Tigers have won seven straight games and are scoring enough runs to win. Keefe was named Ivy League Rookie of Week after going 8 for 14 with two home runs and nine RBI over the last four games.
On the mound, junior Lynn Miller, senior Alyssa Smith and the rest of the pitching staff will concentrate on drop balls, forcing Cornell batters to swing at low pitches. Mixing pitching speeds by using changeups and knuckleballs should also prevent hits. Considering their consistently solid play, especially during the Tigers' latest winning streak, Princeton's pitchers should be able to handle the Big Red attack.
Power outage
Penn does not have the hitting power of Cornell but should not be underestimated, as every Ivy win plays a pivotal role in the Tigers' journey towards an NCAA berth. The Quakers boast seven returning starters and defeated Columbia, 10-2 and 23-0.
"You don't want to overlook (Penn)," Keenen said. "Every Ivy game is huge."
Princeton needs two decisive wins this weekend to establish early and certain prominence in the league if it hopes to reach its goal of appearing in the NCAAs.
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