Courtesy: Beverly SchaeferWith 2.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Brittany Zwirner slammed in the game-winning goal to lift the No. 14 Princeton women's water polo team to a 9-8 victory over Brown and the Southern Division Championship. The Tigers (24-4) won the Southern title for the seventh time in program history and first since 2008. Princeton now awaits its seeding in the Eastern Championships from April 27-29.
The Tigers took a 2-1 advantage in the first quarter, but the evenly matched game saw both squads score four goals apiece over the second and third periods. With a 7-5 lead entering the fourth, Brown evened the game 8-8 with 2:24 remaining in the game. As overtime minutes looked to be on deck and the title on the line, junior Zwirner found an opening with seconds left on the clock to propel the Tigers past the Bears.
Zwirner led Princeton with four goals, an assist, a steal and drew an ejection. Katie Rigler brought her weekend goal total to 10, notching three versus Brown.
Defensively, the Tigers tallied 12 steals, with Molly McBee tallying a team-high three. The freshman trio of Taylor Dunstan Ashley Hatcher and Camille Hooks each made two steals apiece. In the cage, senior goalie Kristen Ward made 13 saves on 21 shots on goal.
Princeton will be either the first or second seed at the Eastern Championships. Seedings will be released on Tuesday, April 17.
Princeton: 2 - 1 - 3 - 3
Brown: 1 - 1 - 3 - 3
Goals: Rigler 3, McBee 1, Zak 1, Zwirner 4
Assists: Hooks 1, McBee 1, Zwirner 1
Steals: Dunstan 2, Hatcher 2, Hooks 2, Martinez 1, McBee 3, Rigler 1, Zwirner 1
Saves: Ward 13
