FIGHTING FOR POSITION: Princeton University women’s hockey player Cassidy Tucker, right, battles a foe in recent action. Last Saturday, senior forward Tucker scored a goal to help Princeton defeat visiting Brown 6-1. The tenth-ranked Tigers, now 15-7-3 overall and 11-5-2 ECAC Hockey, play at No. 4 Clarkson (21-4-5 overall, 15-1-2 ECACH) on February 10, and at No. 3 St. Lawrence (23-3-2 overall, 15-2-1 ECACH) on February 11. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Riding an 11-game unbeaten streak coming into last weekend, the Princeton University women’s hockey team hit a roadblock as it fell 3-1 to visiting Yale last Friday.

Facing Brown the next day, Princeton senior forward Cassidy Tucker and her teammates were determined to get back on the winning track.

“We went on a run where we hadn’t been defeated there for a while; every run comes to an end unfortunately,” said Tucker. “It is staying focused and not letting that loss rattle us.”

Returning to form, Princeton ran away from the Bears on Saturday, winning 6-1 as it improved to 15-7-3 overall and 11-5-2 ECAC Hockey to stay in fourth place in the league standings and in position for home ice in the playoffs later this month.

“We did bounce back so that was good; I think we just had to refocus,” said Tucker, a 5’8 native of Plymouth, Mich.

“It was just take each game as it is and just try to forget the mistakes but definitely learn from them.”

While the Tigers ended up pulling away to victory, they had a sloppy first period with each team generating 17 shots as Princeton forged ahead 2-0.

“We did not get off to a good start but I think it was a bit of a wakeup call so Jeff (head coach Jeff Kampersal) came in and told us let’s go guys and figure it out,” said Tucker. “We got it going and it went a little better.”

Tucker got things going early in the second period, firing the puck into the top of the net to give Princeton a 3-0 lead.

“Luckily I got the bounce,” said Tucker. “I picked my head up and saw. She was cheating the corner so I decided to aim there.”

The Tigers cruised from there, outshooting the Bears 30-18 over the last two periods.

“I think the bench energy was way up,” said Tucker. “Our team does a good job of celebrating each other and I think that definitely showed today. I think everyone really contributed today. Keiko (DeClerck) had a great goal, MacKenzie (Ebel) had her first goal. It was really exciting. It is good to see everyone on the team stepping up.”

With three seasons under her belt, Tucker is looking to contribute more this winter.

“I just have a different role on the team; I have been playing with some really good players,” said Tucker, who now has 22 points this season on 10 goals and 12 assists with 59 career points on 30 goals and 29 assists.

“(Kiersten) Falck will move me the puck and (Morgan) Sly too; they set me up a lot. It is my job to clean it up in front of the net. I am lucky that I have good linemates.”

Reflecting on her time at Princeton, Tucker knows she has been lucky to have had such a good experience.

“Each time I pull on the jersey, not just the game jersey, even the practice jersey, you feel a twinge of sadness but we are happy to have been here and had such a great run,” said Tucker. “We are looking to extend the season as long as we can.”

After having reached the NCAA tournament last season, the Tigers are looking for a return trip to that competition.

“We definitely don’t want to just live off of our success from last season but we want to remember the feeling when we got the bid and we were there,” said Tucker. “It was exciting; we just want to get back to that.”

Princeton head coach Jeff Kampersal was pleased to see his team regain the winning feeling against Brown.

“Today they were ready to go and try to play as solid a game as possible and try to keep their habits and standards,” said Kampersal.

“I think we clamped it down a little bit in the second and the third. They realize that no matter who we play in the ECAC, the teams are tough. Our approach needs to be the same.”

In Kampersal’s view, Tucker has been showing toughness at both ends of the ice in her final campaign.

“Cassidy is a really sharp shooter; she has had a great year offensively and defensively,” asserted Kampersal.

“She is somebody we always count on. She has always been a good player. She is a clutch player. When we need her to come up big she does, whether it is a big goal, a blocked shot, or an icing on a penalty kill.”

The Tigers showed offensive balance in the win over the Bears as 10 different players got on the score sheet.

“The group played well,” said Kampersal. “I felt like Fiona (McKenna), Keiko, (Audrey) Potts, and Ebel, those type of players, the pluggers, stepped up and did a good job.”

Facing a tough trip to upstate New York this weekend with games at No. 4 Clarkson (21-4-5 overall, 15-1-2 ECACH) on February 10 and at No. 3 St. Lawrence (23-3-2 overall, 15-2-1 ECACH) a day later, Princeton will need to keep stepping up to remain in the top four of the ECACH.

“They are the No. 1 and 2 teams in the league,” said Kampersal. “When they were down here, I thought St. Lawrence was the best team that we have played so far this year. They are still flying high and Clarkson is always tough. We are looking forward to the opportunity. We feel like we are an elite team but we need to prove it; to be the best, you have to beat the best.”

In Tucker’s view, the Tigers are primed to give their best effort. “It is going to be a big challenge moving forward,” said Tucker. “We are taking Clarkson and St. Lawrence one step at a time; believing in ourselves that we can beat them.”