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Vol. LXIV, No. 41
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Wednesday, October 13, 2010
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Vol. LXIV, No. 41
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Wednesday, October 13, 2010
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(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction)
TRUE GRIT: Princeton University women’s soccer star Kayleigh Iatarola chases down a ball in action last season. The gritty play of the diminutive senior midfielder and two-time captain Iatarola has helped Princeton go 7-4 overall and 3-0 in Ivy League play. The Tigers are currently in first place in the league standings with Columbia (7-2-2 overall, 2-0-1 Ivy) just behind in second. Princeton hosts Lehigh on October 13 before playing at Columbia on October 16. |
She is pint-sized and has a grand total of two assists with no goals in her 59 appearances for the Princeton University women’s soccer team over the last four years.
But there can be no question that senior midfielder and tri-captain Kayleigh Iatarola stands as a giant presence on the field for the Tigers.
Although she is a head shorter than many of her foes, Iatarola is the engine of the Princeton midfield, hounding foes, winning balls in the air, and scrapping for possession.
For the Princeton University men’s soccer team, its game last Saturday afternoon against visiting Brown shaped up as a true litmus test.
Brown entered the contest at 7-0-2, having given up just one goal all season in rising to No. 13 in the national rankings.
Moreover, the Bears had owned Princeton in recent years, winning the last four meetings in the series.
As the Tigers prepared last week for the clash, Princeton head coach Jim Barlow liked what he was seeing from his players.
“We had a feeling that the guys were going to be sharp on Saturday,” said Barlow. “Brown is a great program; we knew if we were going to make some noise this year, we would need to win this game.”
When Sarah Dileo joined the Hun School field hockey team in 2005 as a junior to fill an opening at goalie, she had no idea what was entailed by that role.
“I had never seen a field hockey game before I came out,” said Dileo, who had played on the soccer team in her first two years at Hun. “I figured being a field hockey goalie must be like soccer. Then they gave me the pads and I said ‘what is this?’”
It looked like it might not be Lexi Stasi’s day as the Princeton High girls’ soccer team battled Hamilton last week.
The PHS senior forward sprinted through the Hornet defense on numerous runs but couldn’t find the back of the net, misfiring on several scoring chances.
With the teams knotted at 2-2 after regulation, Stasi was frustrated and weary.
Emma Quigley didn’t have big expectations coming into this fall as she started her freshman season with the Princeton Day School field hockey program.
“When I tried out, I didn’t think I was going to make the varsity,” said Quigley. “I was really surprised when I did.”
The diminutive Quigley not only made the PDS squad but has emerged as a big surprise for the Panthers. From day one, Quigley has been an offensive threat at forward, using her speed and scrappiness to produce in the circle as PDS has gotten off to a 7-2 start.