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The final score was 4-2 as Lafayette dominated the second half of play against Drexel, a team they lost to 1-2 during the regular season last fall. The Leopards demonstrated a diverse attack that may make scouting this team in the fall very difficult for opposing coaches.

Drexel drew first blood late in the second quarter to take the early lead. The first half was an even affair but to my eye Lafayette had the best of time of possession, but failed to find the back of the cage. In addition, Drexel was to earn several corners, threatening to score

During the third quarter Drexel was called for a penalty stroke, however, Lafayette failed to convert leaving the score 1-0 in Drexel’s favor. It wasn’t long until the Leopards found their stride with four different teammates finding the cage for four straight goals. Alex Darrah, Ellie Barton, Ariel Schumacher and Hannah Findlay lit up the scoreboard to the delight of their fans and parents. Assists were made by Lineke on the Schumacher goal, Catalina Robel’s hard shot with a diving effort to Alex Darrah and Hanna Findley to Barton.

It was a team effort as the defense began turning away Drexel attacks. India Ralph was directing the defense as the game wore on. The field was shifted from one side to the other and Leneke Spanns drew attention freeing up her teammates to attack the circle.

Laine Delmotte was back from Barbados after playing in the under 21 Pan Am games for Canada and fit right into play. The spring has turned into a valuable experience for all. There were some bumps and bruises along the way but I expect that will be all gone by August. Catalina Rubel was an active threat all afternoon. Carley Kreytak was in the face of Drexel attackers. Aimee Hoefnagel and Josephine van Wijk showed increasing skill and leadership. Alex Darrah will be a real force this fall and Mackenzie Hall showed her gritty determination all spring. Alex Conway showed growing maturity.

Our two goalies, Emma Garvey and Raffi Fragomeni are showing improvement and are playing like upper classmen.

The Leopards again, will be playing an interesting schedule in the fall which will include Big Ten and Acc teams along with its usual opponents in the Patriot League. Boston, American, and Lehigh will be on the road. ( Boston will have a new field). Bucknell, Holy Cross and Colgate will our guests at home.

There will also be the usual list of clinics and camps in the coming months and the coaches will be on the road scouting for talent for 2024 and beyond.

It’s been 28 years since Lehigh last won a Patriot League Championship in Field Hockey, but they finally are able to claim the title after a worthy effort. The semi-final and final games both went to overtime and the Mountain Hawks dug deep in both games to get the win.

In the semi- final game it went all the way to a 9 person shoot out before beating American. It should be noted that due to a confusion by the official Sara Bothius’s first shot was disallowed. Other teams in other years would have been down after that, but their resolve seemed to redouble. Goalkeeper Maddie Kahn played magnificently and turned away shot after shot until the Mountain Hawks connected for the win in the ninth round!!

They continued their determination in the championship game coming from behind to tie the score in the fourth quarter with a Maddie Kandra redirection from Sara Bothius. It was in overtime, that sophomore Netherlands native, Hogandoorn on a penalty corner received an assist from Sydney White for the win at 67:14.

Special mention should to go coach Caitlin Dallmeyer who culminated this 7 year quest for the trophy. She used recruited players from far and wide and set goals that eventually led to the title. They were emotionally ready to play when needed.

The stats were not necessarily in their favor today. Boston out shot Lehigh 22-16, shots on goal were 14 to 11, and corners were 8-12. Maddie Kahn heroically came forward with 13 saves. Lehigh did it when they needed to.

For next years opponents…will Kahn and Bothius return?? A little bird says yes!

Lafayette had beaten Boston 2-0 and lost to Lehigh 2-3 during the regular season. This is all the more evidence that the League has become much more competitive and balanced!!!

This was a character game from start to finish. The Leopard’s were stung on Friday with a league game which by some accounts should have gone the other way. But today they showed their character and heart to come back and win a game that is a win against the highest ranking team in program history. Each Leopard played championship hockey right through to the winning goal by Felicitas Hannes off a perfectly constructed feed from Molly McAndrew. The play started with a dazzling run by Leneke Spanns who found McAndrew in the circle.

It was McAndrew who was to make the play of game. Princeton had made a penalty stroke with less than 3 minutes left in regulation making the score 2-1. A ball was sent down the sideline headed toward the end line. McAndrew sprinted down the length of the field and dove at the last minute to try to keep the ball inbounds. She dove for the ball and connected with it hitting it towards a trailing Princeton defender generating a foot foul and a last ditch corner after only 15 seconds after the go ahead penalty stroke by Sam Davidson from Princeton.

This was the last chance for the Leopards and they capitalized with a rocket by Simone Hefting high to the top of the cage tying the game and eventually sending it into overtime.

The first goal of the game was made by Sydney Woolston who made her first goal of the season and career. Normally on defense she, was assisted by Leneke Spanns who was the center of attention all game long by the ever skilled Princeton Tigers.

Simone Hefting showed her leadership on the field all game and made two defensive saves. Freshman Raffi Fragomeni made a season high 10 saves!!!

This was a perfect launching point for a crucial game with the Brown Mountain Hawks from Lehigh this Friday at 7 pm.

This was a game made for afternoon drama as number 7 ranked Princeton upset the number 2 ranked and undefeated Maryland Terps 4-3 in double overtime. The game had significance at several levels. Carla Tagliente, the Princeton coach, along with the Princeton assistant, Dina Rizzo played for Missy Meharg at Maryland. Rizzo had also been an assistant under Meharg. Tagliente hadn’t beaten Meharg and Maryland since 2017. This was the fifth straight Maryland/ Princeton game that went to overtime and eighth straight game decided by one goal. Personally, it was a reunion of sorts since my daughter played at Maryland and Tagliente and Rizzo were her roommates.

The two teams went back and forth all game with all-American Beth Yeager tying the game late in the fourth quarter and scoring the winning goal in the second overtime period. Both scores came on penalty corners.

The Terps were to win the statical battle recording 19 shots, 11 of which were on goal to. Princeton’s 11 shots, 9 of which were on goal. Robyn Thompson was to have an excellent afternoon between the pipes recording 8 saves during the contest for the Tigers.

Maryland opened the scoring with a goal by Belie Bressler assisted by Hope Rose at 23:56 into the first half. It wan’t until 32:13 in the second half that Princeton was to even the score with a Hannah Davey score on a penalty corner. Princeton was to be behind three times during the game and forced to come back to even the score each time.

After two attempts by Maryland, 2 minutes later Maryland was able to go ahead again on a Margot Lawn strike making the score 2-1. Fans had to wait 10 minutes before Princeton was able to even the score again on an Ali McCarthy strike, her third of the season, tying up the score to 2-2.

The crowd was treated to a contest of skill and fitness as both teams passed and ran from one end of the field to the other. Hope Rose from Maryland was to break the tie at 52:22 with her eighth goal for the season putting the Terps ahead of the Tigers with less than six minutes left in regulation.

Princeton would not let up and as both teams were digging deep into their fitness reserves, Princeton’s Yaeger was to get off a rocket with less than two minutes left tying the score for the last time in regulation.

Overtime was no less intense as both teams had their chances to end the game. Princeton was to end the first overtime with a shot by McCarthy with five seconds left in the period. However, Yeager was to complete her heroics for the afternoon with an assist by Ophelia Bemeimans and Ali McCarthy scoring on a hard direct hit to the left side of the cage.

After the game there were hugs all around as Meharg went to embrace her former players, Carla and Dina. One had the feeling this might not be the last, these two teams could meet this season. Both teams. will go on to their league schedules later this week. Princeton will host Lafayette on Sunday.