In an exciting, up-and-down season, women's soccer pulled off some amazing feats: a win over defending Ivy champion Dartmouth, the first defeat of Brown in Providence since 1983 and an 11-game unbeaten streak.
While late season losses to Harvard and Penn stymied Princeton's (12-5-1 overall, 4-2-1 Ivy League) pursuit of a league title and dropped the team to third place, the squad's earlier accomplishments and stellar out-of-league play garnered the Tigers an accolade they had barely dared to dream about at the start of the season — an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
In Princeton's first appearance at the tourney in 16 years, it lost 2-1 to the University of Hartford, capping the craziness that was the women's soccer season.
"[The game] was a big step for our program," head coach Julie Shackford said. "It is a compliment to our program and the league. The lack of experience in this environment may have cost us."
But, she added, "I think our kids hung in there and gave them some fits in the second half. They left it all on the field."
'Fighting'
"The last 15 minutes of the second half showed that we're still alive, we're still fighting," goalkeeper Jordan Rettig '01 said. "It took us a while to get our bearings in this game. Obviously we wanted to win, but I think to come out fighting like that is just a great way to go."
In only one of the Tigers' five losses — played with a short squad against Furman Sept. 12 — did they lose by more than one goal. In addition to the 1-0 opening loss to national powerhouse Clemson, Princeton dropped crushing 1-0 overtime games to Harvard and Penn.
Harvard has more or less dominated the league's recent history, running up a 30-2-1 record since 1995. The Crimson have also dominated against Princeton, winning the last seven contests and holding a 20-4-0 all-time advantage over the Tigers.
Still, Princeton went into Cambridge, Mass., undaunted, playing Harvard relatively even during a scoreless 90 minutes of regulation. The game remained tied until the 98-minute, 41-second mark, when Harvard broke the stalemate with the game-winning goal.
Unfriendly confines
From the start, the contest against Penn was close, as the Tigers' short passing game counterbalanced the Quakers' fast-break offense. Penn crowded into its own end, relying on clearing passes to create scoring chances. To the Quakers' advantage, the game was played on their own quirky Rhodes Field, where they compiled a 7-0 record this season.
"Their field was in horrible condition," All-Ivy first-team midfielder Julie Shaner '01 said. "There was no grass, there were hard bumps and it was very muddy."
No matter the venue, Princeton threw itself into every game of the season.
The defense — led by Rettig, All-Ivy first-team Heather Deerin '03 and second-team Susan Rea '00 — absolutely shut down opponents, allowing only 13 goals in 18 games.
Rea, who started every game of her Princeton career, also led all league defenders in scoring with two goals and three assists. Forward Dana DeCore '00 led the offense with 15 points, followed by Krista Ariss '03 (12 points) and Alex Fiore '03 (11 points).
This year marked the graduation of the first class recruited by Shackford, who has crafted an amazing turnaround in just over five years — pulling a long suffering Princeton program into the national spotlight. Losing only Rea, DeCore and midfielder Tricia Murray '00 to graduation and welcoming yet another strong recruiting class, the Tigers seem destined to complete their rise to the top of the Ivy League.
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