Brother, Can You Spare a Goal? Quinnipiac 1, Princeton 0

Rachel Weber

As long as I've been watching Princeton hockey, which is over ten years now, they've had a problem scoring goals. At times it has seemed like a curse, or a comic film in which some wizard has cast a spell, making them incapable of scoring, but enabling them to come very close; ringing pucks off the post, or making superwomen out of the opposing goalies.

That was the story last night as Quinnipiac, one of the better teams in the ECAC, came in to Baker Rink and skunked the Tigers 1-0. As per the script, the Tigers played well, out shooting the Bobcats 26-22 and getting several more terrific scoring chances--they hit the post twice this time! But a second period goal by Melissa Perry held up, and the Tigers went down to defeat.

This is a shame, because it puts undue pressure on Rachel Weber, the Tigers goalie. She has to play perfectly in order for the Tigers to win against top teams. It was hard to tell whose fault it was for the one goal--Weber looked to have been screened--but even a great goalie allows one in now and then. Weber hasn't been as good as she was last year--I'll give her the benefit of the doubt and chalk up the higher goals-per-game percentage to a shaky D, which has been both injury-riddled and stocked with rookies--but putting this all on her shoulders is unfair.

I really don't know what the problem has been. This has transcended squads, and only has coach Jeff Kampersal as the common factor. It didn't help that one of the key Tiger scorers, Olivia Mucha, was out with injury. But what, exactly, are the Tigers doing wrong? Is it there fundamental approach that's incorrect? The goalies in the league are good, but when they play Princeton they turn into superstars.

The whole thing is aggravating.