After splitting time with Mettler '99, Field finds home in goal for w. lax

Seven separate players scored in the last two games for the women's lacrosse team. This depth on the offensive half of the field has been a key aspect of Princeton's early-season success.

But at probably the most important position on the field — goalie — such depth is almost nonexistent.

Having only one returning goalie with any experience in lacrosse, the Tigers are placing all their expectations on senior Laura Field. And Field has met each of those expectations and excelled,, leading the Tigers to a No. 2 national ranking and a 7-1 record.

"The prospect of coming into the season with only one returning goalie was scary for us," head coach Chris Sailer said. "Laura was looking forward to the chance of making the defense her defense."

Field came in her freshman year and took over as the starting goaltender, earning All-Ivy honors both her freshman and sophomore years while starting 27 of the 30 contests. Last year, however, Amber Mettler '99 came into her own and split the goaltending duties with Field. With Mettler's graduation, Field has been thrust again into the spotlight.

"Amber really played well last year and shared time with Laura, but now it's Laura's turn to be the key to our defense," Sailer said.

Backing up Field is junior Jennie Platt, who before this year was best known as a midfielder on the women's soccer team. While Platt brings enthusiasm and athleticism with her, she is lacking in experience. Although the junior only started playing lacrosse in the spring, she has been impressive in cleanup duty so far, only allowing two goals in her 40 minutes of time in net.

"People like [junior midfielder] Julie Shaner were instrumental in recruiting Jennie for us," Sailer said. "She brings a lot of enthusiasm to the team."

Although Platt has been a strong backup, the goalie position is Field's for this year — and the senior has taken advantage of the opportunity. She has improved her already gaudy statistics this year, allowing only 6.72 goals per game.

"It's important that you keep focused in a game like lacrosse, which is so high scoring," Field said. "If you let in a goal you have to remain focused."

That focus has shown through in the key sections of games for the Tigers so far this season.

In Princeton's 8-7 win over No. 7 Virginia last Friday, Field made several point blank saves in the final few minutes to preserve the Tiger victory.

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"Laura has been so big for us this entire season. And by making those saves in the last few minutes she really gave us the win," sophomore attack Kim Smith said following the Virginia game.

Field's clutch goaltending has not only helped keep Princeton ahead in close games, but also has let it get out to fast starts.

Against four of the Tigers' toughest opponents this season — Rutgers, Duke, Georgetown and Penn State — Princeton has jumped out early to a combined 19-1 advantage. Field has facilitated these early game binges by keeping the opponents off the board while the Tiger offense attacked the other net.

"Getting out fast has been important for us this year, and Laura has been important for us doing that," Sailer said. "She's made a couple of good early saves that have gotten us into transition."

The void at the position left after this season will not be there for long, however, as Sailer has recruited Megan McGinnis '04 to take over net duties for next season. McGinnis is currently the 19-and-under national team goalkeeper and will bring a level of experience and talent to the Tigers.

"She's one of the top two or three high school [goaltender] recruits in the country," Sailer said. "We're happy to get a player of her skill, but we'd still like to be a little deeper.

"If you look at the men's team, they always have three or four goalies on the roster."

Even with the shallow bench, Princeton's goaltending situation has been at worst consistent and at best spectacular as shown in the first-ever Tiger shutout against Columbia March 22.

And that consistency has been a goal of the Tiger defensive corps this year, as they try to give the attack a chance to win the important games.

"We joke with Laura that she's always saying that she wants to play consistently," Sailer said. "The key is not just to play consistently. The key is to play consistently well."