Awesome autumn

Ivy titles are nothing new for Princeton, which has won 13 in the last 14 years, but this year’s 17–3 squad was spectacular in the postseason as well. Katie Reinprecht ’12, right, the first freshman to be named Ivy Player of the Year, scored three goals and assisted on three others in a playoff run that included wins over Stanford (8–2 Nov. 11) and Penn State (2–0 Nov. 15). The Tigers eventually fell in overtime at No. 3 Syracuse, 3–2, in the NCAA quarterfinals.

Sarah Peteraf ’09, right, led Princeton with 12 goals, including seven game-winners, but the story of the year was defense. The Tigers allowed just seven goals in 16 regular-season games to rank No. 6 nationally in goals against. Princeton shared the Ivy title with Harvard and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Women’s College Cup, where the Tigers fell 2–1 to West Virginia Nov. 15.

Princeton split four meetings with rival Navy (1–1 in the regular season and 1–1 in the playoffs). The Tigers beat the Midshipmen in the Collegiate Water Polo Associa-tion Southern Championship Nov. 9 when Eric Vreeland ’10, above, tossed in the decisive goal. In the CWPA Eastern Championship Nov. 23, Navy prevailed, 9–6, and earned a bid to the NCAA Final Four. Princeton finished with a 19–10 record.

When Princeton edged Columbia by three points at the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships Oct. 31, it was the closest finish in the team standings since 1972. Two weeks later at the Mid-Atlantic Regional, Michael Maag ’09, left, and Brian Leung ’12 finished fourth and ninth, respectively, and qualified to race at the NCAA Championships.