On Tuesday night, Princeton women’s soccer (10–4 overall, 4–1 Ivy League) went on the road and outlasted the UMBC Retrievers (5–10–1 overall, 1-4-1 America East) with a comeback 2–1 win. After last weekend’s dominant win over Harvard, the Tigers headed to Retriever Soccer Park in Baltimore, Md., hoping to continue their winning form. However, the Retrievers played above their poor record and gave the Tigers a challenge from the start.
The Tigers came into this game off short rest and decided to bench many of their usual starters.
“I wanted to give other players an opportunity … I talked with the staff, and we all agreed that this was the best lineup for today’s game,” head coach Sean Driscoll told The Daily Princetonian.
The Tigers tested their depth, starting three backup defenders and their backup goalie. However, the Tigers showed no signs of rust and started the game off strong. They dominated possession from the beginning, showcasing their quick transition from defense to offense, with their wings working tirelessly to press the ball forward.
Despite their control, Princeton struggled to put the ball in the back of the net. Junior defender Pia Beaulieu had the first big chance of the game, taking a free kick in the 20th minute. It was well met, but sailed just over the bar.
The Tigers continued to push, but the Retrievers’ defense held firm. In fact, it was UMBC’s Natasha Munro who struck first in the 25th minute when she capitalized on a defensive miscue, scoring an easy goal off a cross.
Now down, the Tigers regrouped. A near miss from Beaulieu in the 27th minute and three substitutions, including the entrance of junior forward Ally Murphy and sophomore forward Isabella Garces, seemed to bring some energy to the Tigers. Yet UMBC’s defense continued to frustrate Princeton’s attacks, and the Tigers, heavy favorites to win the game, found themselves in an unexpected battle, trailing at the half despite outshooting the Retrievers 7–4.
Determined to turn things around in the second half, Princeton ditched their bench-first approach and subbed in some of their regular starters, including sophomore defender Zoe Markesini, senior midfielder Lily Bryant, junior forward Drew Coomans, and senior defender Ryann Brown. The impact was immediate as Bryant tested the UMBC keeper with a well-taken shot in the 50th minute, followed by a close header off the woodwork from a Beaulieu corner just three minutes later.
Despite the constant pressure and shots, UMBC’s defense held. In the 67th minute, Bryant had another great opportunity, having her shot deflected just wide. Garces, too, found herself with several chances, narrowly missing a header in the 70th minute and forcing a stunning save just minutes later.
However, the breakthrough finally happened in the 74th minute, when Brown, in her 38th match, scored her first career goal for Princeton, tying the game 1–1 off a Beaulieu corner kick and igniting the Tigers’ momentum.
“It was a great feeling. We were down by one and knew we had to capitalize on a corner kick and score,” Brown told the ‘Prince.’ “It was a great time for my first goal. It was a goal we needed.”
As time winded down, the game-winning moment came in the 84th minute when first-year forward Alexandra Barry delivered a ball across the Retrievers goal line, which Beaulieu calmly tapped in to put the Tigers up 2–1.
The Tigers cruised to the 90th minute and showcased their depth and resilience on the road.
“After we went down, I knew we had well over 60 minutes of soccer to play. As long as we kept the ball and took our opportunities, I knew we were going to stay in the game,” Beaulieu told the ‘Prince.’
In addition to the offensive contributions of over 24 shots and seven corners in the game, the backline for Princeton stayed strong, holding the Retrievers to only one shot in the second half.
“I wanted to make some adjustments. Our back line was too deep. We were able to adjust and be on the front foot a little more,” Driscoll noted.
The Tigers will look to continue to move up the Ivy League standings and secure hosting duties for the Ivy League Tournament as they host Dartmouth on Saturday at 1 p.m. on the Tigers’ Senior Day.
“We need a good mindset going into the next game. We have to keep that standard consistent no matter who we play,” Brown said.
Matthew Yi is a staff Sports writer for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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