Northwestern Wins Third NCAA Field Hockey Title in Thrilling 2-1 OT Victory Over Princeton

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In a nail-biting finish, Northwestern University's field hockey team claimed its third NCAA championship title on Sunday, defeating Princeton University 2-1 in a heart-stopping, double-overtime thriller. The game's decisive moment came when Ilse Tromp deflected a Maddie Zimmer shot off a corner kick in the opening seconds of the second overtime period, securing the Wildcats' third national title and avenging their only loss of the season. The Wildcats' victory marked their fifth consecutive appearance in the NCAA championship game and their fifth title in six years. Princeton, which had been on a 14-game winning streak, including a 3-2 victory over Northwestern in October, saw its winning streak snapped after the Wildcats rallied to win 11 consecutive games. The game's initial goal was scored by Princeton's Beth Yeager in the third quarter, but Northwestern's Kate Janssen quickly tied the game with a corner kick goal from Ilse Tromp. The Wildcats outshot Princeton 16-8, with 10 shots on goal and 10 corner kicks, while also successfully surviving a crucial penalty in the fourth quarter. Juliana Boon made four saves for Northwestern, while Olivia Caponiti made seven saves for Princeton, including a crucial stop on Ashley Sessa after Sessa stole the ball in Tiger territory during the first overtime period.