OH YES: Princeton University field hockey player Ottilie Sykes controls the ball in a 2023 game. Last Sunday, sophomore star Sykes scored the winning goal in the second overtime as Princeton edged Delaware 2-1. Sykes was later named the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week. The Tigers, now 8-4 overall and 4-0 Ivy, play at Harvard (10-2 overall, 4-0 Ivy) on October 19 in a league first-place showdown. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

Ottilie Sykes could not complain about playing time last year. If anything, she might have liked a break.

“It was a lot of time,” said Sykes, “but a lot of pressure.”

Last year, in her first season of college field hockey for the Princeton University field hockey team, she played every minute. That’s 1,098 minutes, more than any other Tigers player on a team that was decidedly thin.

“It was quite a crazy statistic,” said Sykes, a Milton, England, native. “I think someone worked out how many minutes I actually played with all the overtimes as well, but that’s not normal. I was really shocked. I was looking over at the bench being like, when will I get subbed? And then I don’t.”

The time playing at center back helped her to adjust, and this year return ready to contribute considerably again while making a few more adjustments. For one, she has moved from center back to her preferred right back spot while freshman Clem Houlden has taken her old position.

“We’ve had new freshmen come in, so obviously we’re juggling around positions and finding where everyone’s best suited,” said Sykes. “I actually prefer playing out wide, so I get to be more attacking and play more direct from that way and connect more with the forwards from the side rather than from the middle. I think it highlights my attacking play more.”

Sykes also hasn’t been as featured on penalty corners as last year when she was tied for the team lead in points. Beth Yeager, who returned to Princeton after a year off to play on the U.S. Olympic team, has been a focus for the corners, and she’s become a focus of defensive teams. Sykes had only one assist this year until this past weekend when she scored a goal in Princeton’s 4-2 win over Brown on Friday and then tallied the game-winner in the second overtime for a 2-1 victory over Delaware.

“It definitely means a lot,” said Sykes. “I think it’s very different to last year in a good way, but it’s been a long time coming this season. I’ve had my chances, so to get two this weekend and both from corners, it was really great. And to get the game-winning one today obviously meant a lot.”

And lastly, Sykes is being subbed at times. She’s running more in her new position, and is OK getting the occasional break.

“That’s what’s really good about this year is we’ve got the depth on the bench that even being subbed out, it doesn’t make that much of a difference,” said Sykes. “Everyone can step up and play their role.”

The depth along with the return of Yeager, and Grace Schulze from injury, have helped the Tigers off to a better start than a year ago. No. 16 Princeton is 8-4 overall, 4-0 in the Ivy League heading into a key showdown at defending champion and No. 9 Harvard (10-2 overall, 4-0 Ivy) on Saturday.

“Yes, it’s a big game but I think the focus for us will be just really leaning into the game and having fun,” said Princeton head coach Carla Tagliente. “I think it’s going to be a fun game. I think we’re two very different teams in how we play, but I always think it’s a good match. It’s a fun match and really focusing on more of the competition and the fun of it versus the outcome and the stress of it.”

The game will give the victor the upper hand to host the Ivy League tournament that determines the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, but both teams still have two more Ivy games left. Princeton is hungry to take the Ivy title back, but knows that it’s the Ivy tournament that means a bit more for their national hopes. Harvard has been ranked higher and was picked to win the league again.

“I’m fine being in the seat that we’re in and not having to sit here and defend the throne,” said Tagliente. “I think these guys play better from that seat as well.”

Sykes can recall last year’s disappointing ending at the hands of Harvard in Cambridge, Mass. After losing, 4-0, in the regular season to Harvard, the Tigers fell 2-1 on a last-minute goal in the Ivy tournament to end their season.

“Obviously there is that rivalry from last year and there are a lot of the same players, and that being our only game this weekend, I think it’s gonna create like a lot of focus on that game,” said Sykes. “And obviously there’s the revenge aspect to it. I think we showed a lot of improvement from when we played them in-season last year to then playing them again in the tournament. We did come close, but we did fall out to them. But this year, we have new freshmen, we got Beth back and I think it’ll be an exciting game and obviously hopefully all the tactics work out.”

Sykes hasn’t had as many opportunities on corners as a year ago, but she has been efficient with her chances.

“It’s not a matter of her not performing,” said the Tigers coach. “It’s just a matter of Beth has gotten the lion’s share of the calls. Ottilie still had a really good season.”

When teams focus too much on Yeager, Sykes is another great option for Princeton. The Tigers can set up either with their corner plays, and Tagliente envisions giving Sykes more chances down the stretch.

“It adds a lot of deception and makes it harder for teams to scout,” said Sykes. “So it’s exciting for the games to come.”

Sykes feels more capable of contributing in the big games to come because she was asked to do so much in her first season.

“It was definitely like a bit of a shock to the system,” said Sykes. “It was obviously very different coming from England and then coming out to the U.S. and playing college. I think it just sort of proved the strength of the of the program to go from losing 10 out of 11 starters to really competing in the Ivy tournament, coming inches close to even getting a bid to the NCAA so I think to build on last year, I think we’re in a really exciting place.”

Princeton is feeling better about how it competed after sweeping the weekend. That hadn’t been happening this year with the Tigers repeatedly splitting their weekends. Before knocking off Brown, they had beat Cornell but then fell at Syracuse. Princeton was worried about the tournament implications of being unable to close out their Sunday games.

“When I’m asking them to respond and dig deep, they really had to today, and they did,” said Tagliente. “So it was great to get the win. I think a double win weekend for us, it’s the first since the Rutgers weekend. So this was important for us.”

The game at Harvard will be Princeton’s last on the road for the regular season. They finish with home games against Maryland on October 25, Dartmouth on October 27 and Yale on November 2. Princeton hopes to take advantage of home field advantage to close out the year on a high note.

“There’s obviously that protective aspect,” said Sykes. “We want to protect Bedford Field. I think that mindset is a big advantage for us.

But going away to Harvard, with the rivalry, I think that same mindset is going to stick with us. I think we’ve got so much time to prepare now. It’s fall break with practices and everything. And obviously we played there last year, so it’s familiar ground.”

There are new aspects to Sykes’ role this year, but largely the familiarity and experience gained last year has helped her feel better prepared for anything that she sees. Her first two goals of the season last weekend proved she can still contribute in the scoring column while also providing steady play out of the back of the Princeton defense.

“I think there’s a lot of the confidence aspect,” said Sykes. “Coming in as a freshman and then also being put in that center back position, there was a lot of pressure, but to have the support of the team constantly reassuring me that I am doing a good job. Now I can take that on as a sophomore rather than as a freshman. I can lead from there and take that confidence that I know I can play that position really well and make a positive impact on the team.”