Fifth-year senior Kate Crist celebrated a birthday she’ll never forget as the St. Joe’s Hawks field hockey team secured their first NCAA Final Four berth with a 1-0 win over Princeton on Sunday at Ellen Ryan Field, reports Mia Messina for the Philadelphia Inquirer.
After a scoreless 55 minutes, fifth-year senior Celeste Smits netted the game’s only goal with under five minutes left, sealing the Hawks’ historic victory. “After I scored that goal, I looked over to our fans, and I just felt all their energy,” Smits said. “We had four or five minutes left, and I was like, ‘OK, we got to lock back in because we’re not done yet.’”
Coach Hannah Prince credited her team’s grit and resilience, praising the leadership of the upperclassmen. “They just eat, sleep, and breathe this program, and what it means to be a Hawk,” Prince said.
Smits, shared an emotional moment with Crits postgame. “I looked at Kate, our captain, and we just burst in tears,” she said. “Ever since we were together, this was one of our goals, and we finally reached it in our last year.”
The Hawks now head to Ann Arbor to face reigning champion North Carolina, led by Chadds Ford native Erin Matson. For now, the Hawks savor their milestone. “Best birthday by far,” Crist said.
Read more about the St. Joe’s historic Final Four berth in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
