IN THE TOURNAMENT: Princeton University women’s hockey player Angelina DiGirolamo, left, chases down the puck in a game this season. Last Friday, sophomore forward DiGirolamo scored the lone goal as Princeton fell 2-1 in overtime to Quinnipiac in the ECAC Hockey semifinals. Two days later, the Tigers, now 23-10, received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Princeton will face the University of Connecticut on March 12 in an NCAA Regional semifinal contest at Penn State. The victor will advance to the Regional final on March 14 against host and third-seeded Penn State. (Photo by Frank Jacobs III)

By Bill Alden

In mid-October, the Princeton University women’s hockey team started its 2025-26 season by losing a pair of games at the University of Connecticut.

This Thursday, Princeton will get the chance to avenge those defeats (3-1 on October 17 and 3-0 on October 18) with the season on the line as the foes will be meeting in an NCAA Regional semifinal contest at Penn State.

The Tigers, now 23-10, are looking forward to round three against the Huskies (27-8-2) which will see the victor advance to the Regional final on Saturday against host and third-seeded Penn State, that is now guided by former Princeton head coach Jeff Kampersal.

“They are excited, they are ready to go,” said Princeton first-year head coach Courtney Kessel, who has led the Tigers to their first berth in the NCAA tournament since the 2019-20 campaign when the event was canceled just before play began due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We owe UConn some payback from the first games of this year so I think that is going to be our mindset heading in.”

Coming into last weekend, Princeton was chasing another title as it faced Quinnipiac in the ECAC Hockey semifinals in Lake Placid, N.Y.

The Tigers, who had defeated Quinnipiac twice this winter (4-3 in OT on November 20 and 2-0 on November 22) in regular season meetings, trailed the Bobcats 1-0 heading into the third period on Friday.

“I think our message was come out with speed and let’s be the faster team,” said Kessel, reflecting on her message at the second intermission. “It was fantastic.”

Princeton sophomore forward Angelina DiGirolamo made a fantastic play in the third period, firing a low blast into the back of the net to knot the game at 1-1 with 11:22 left in regulation.

“She has got a tremendous shot,” said Kessel. “I think it has been a while since we saw her score. She is tremendous at forechecking and turning pucks over. It was really nice to see her get a goal.”

Neither team scored a goal over the rest of the third period and the game went into overtime. Quinnipiac prevailed as it scored 3:48 into the extra period.

While the defeat stung, Kessel liked what she saw from her team.

“Overall, we were super thrilled with our game and our team in general,” said Kessel, whose team outshot the Bobcats 31-25. “I am disappointed that we lost but not disappointed in our play. We were the better team but the better team doesn’t always win.”

Two days later, Princeton’s play over the course of the season was rewarded as it received the at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. As Kessel watched the selection show with her players and coaches in the video room at Hobey Baker Rink she was thrill to see her team’s name pop up on the bracket.

“I was I like I know we are in but I am still nervous,” said Kessel.

“It is hard to make this tournament. Winning is hard, we have talked about that all year and so I think it was a ton of excitement. I am just so proud of these players and the way we have put ourselves to be a national contender.”

As Princeton returns to the NCAA tournament, Kessel is particularly happy for her senior group.

“It is exciting; this is hard, it is not just going to happen every year,” said Kessel. “These seniors really didn’t win much in their four years and for this to be their season that they are going to end on, they are going to remember this for the rest of their lives. I just think that the chemistry and the camaraderie that we have in our changing room is something really special. Obviously winning always helps that.”

The Tigers will be facing a special goalie in UConn’s Tia Chan, a top 10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award given annually to the top player in NCAA Division I Women’s Ice Hockey.

“She is a pretty aggressive goalie, she moves really well, and she plays the puck,” said Kessel, whose senior forward Issy Wunder is also a top 10 finalist for the Kazmaier Award. “I think we are going to have to get her moving laterally here, shoot the puck off of her pad and go for a rebound. It is cause some chaos in front of the net and score some goals.”

In Kessel’s view, the Tigers will need to be aggressive all over the ice to overcome the Huskies.

“It is going to be a physical, well-detailed 60-minute hockey game,” added Kessel. “I think whoever owns the neutral zone is going to come away with the win.”