While most students are suffering from spring fever, another bug has been pervading the women's water polo team (18-3 overall, 8-0 Collegiate Water Polo League) — the entire squad appears to have been infected with an intensity like no other.
Hot off an 11-game winning streak, Princeton travels to Villanova this weekend with hopes of claiming its first Mid-Atlantic title. The Tigers, currently ranked 11th in the nation, enter the tournament as the top seed.
"We are expecting wins this weekend," junior two-meter Katherine Kixmiller said. "We're looking to take advantage of our depth in order to prepare for Easterns. So many of the freshmen, besides just the starters, have been stepping up lately, and their intensity is contagious."
As newly crowned Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference champs, Princeton feels very confident heading into the weekend.
"If we can play like we did at ECACs then I think we will have a good chance to win this weekend," head coach Luis Nicolao said. "We have never won a Mid-Atlantic Championship before."
'Human wall'
If the Tigers continue to dominate the pool with their excellent defensive play, they will have no trouble capturing the title, especially with senior captain and goalie Goga Vukmirovic in the cage.
"Goga, of course will be who we're relying on," Kixmiller said. "We'll be trying most to win since it's her senior year. We're having a great time together, and weekends like Mid-Atlantics help us to work on the fundamentals of our game and on our team chemistry."
Vukmirovic, who was named the most valuable player at the ECAC tournament, will undoubtedly be a key contributor to the Tiger defense. Often described as a 'human wall' in the cage, Vukmirovic rarely lets a ball by her. In terms of offense, the squad will rely on a bench full of sharp shooters. With freshmen two-meter Adele McCarthy and driver Jenny Edwards, sophomore driver Cassie Nichols and Kixmiller, Princeton should have no difficulty tallying up goals.
"Our strongest asset coming into this weekend is the momentum we have built over the past few weeks," Vukmirovic said. "It's an intensity we've had, not just from winning ECACs, but from practices and scrimmages."
Role reversal
Last season, the Tigers entered the tournament with a 17-game winning streak. The squad, however, was unable to maintain its intensity and fell to a strong Maryland team, 9-5, in the championship game.
The Terrapins graduated many of their top players last year, however, and are in the midst of a rebuilding season. Princeton easily defeated Maryland, 16-3, March 25 in Washington, D.C.
The teams the Tigers will face this weekend are all very familiar."We will most likely see Villanova in the finals, and we just have to be ready for them," Vukmirovic said. "If we play our game, good things should happen."
Already 3-0 against the Wildcats this season, the Tigers have reason to be very confident.
"What I am most excited about is our team is starting to come together," Nicolao said. "We have a young team, and every weekend we have been improving. Our strong part has always been our defense, which is how we win games, but we have just started coming together on the offensive end. This makes us a dangerous team."
Princeton hopes to use its performance this weekend as a springboard for Easterns, where the Tigers will definitely be a force to be reckoned with. The tournament, which will take place at DeNunzio Pool April 29-30, will include teams such as UMass, Harvard and Villanova. Last year the Tigers suffered an overtime 9-8 loss to Maryland in the championship game.
"We expect to see the same teams at Easterns that we have seen already, and there should be some really tough games," Vukmirovic said. "But when you get to Easterns, your previous record does not matter — all that matters is who can play the best water polo at that moment. Without a doubt, we will be ready."
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