SPARKS, Md. — The four-team Princeton Invitational Oct. 21 here at US Lacrosse’s Tierney Field largely heralded the career of Tiger women’s coach Chris Sailer, for whom the walking path around the field was named in a ceremony during the afternoon.

Sailer cherished the day in front of current and former players and fans. She still may fret, however, over finding a replacement for graduated All-American goalie Ellie DeGarmo, a task that remains following the fall season and one that DeGarmo got a first-hand look at while suiting up for the New York Athletic Club team that scrimmaged the Princeton, Fairfield and Villanova that day.

“The three of them are very talented,” DeGarmo, who led the nation with a .554 save percentage a year ago and twice earned first-team All-American honors, said recently. “Mary Kate [McDonough] and Winnie [Brandfield-Harvey] seemed more consistent and patient.”

DeGarmo’s brief assessment of what she saw follows logic. McDonough holds rank among the possible replacements as a senior that’s played in nine games during her career. Brandfield-Harvey did not play a year ago, but as a sophomore she has a year in the program following a standout prep career at St. John’s (Texas). The third is highly-touted Sam Fish, a 5-foot-10 freshman from San Diego.

“The position is wide open. We’ve got three good ones,” Sailer said after the Tigers’ first game that day before offering some strengths and areas of improvement for each.

McDonough is the most vocal, has done a good job leading the younger goalies, and has a penchant for making big saves. She could show more patience vs. shooters. She did at times to draw the praise from DeGarmo. Brandfield-Harvey has quick hands but can improve play out of the cage. She missed a week of fall ball due to an illness. Fish “came into her own,” according to Sailer, in scrimmages against Albany, Duquesne and USC the weekend prior, but predictably is still learning the system.

Each offered some self-assessment during the event. As important as — or more important than, perhaps — working on position-related skills, the three must continue to navigate a sometimes-tricky balancing act of competing for the starting job while supporting teammates’ quests for same.

McDonough cited tutelage and experience, now as the eldest of the would-be replacements.

“Playing under Ellie, for me and Winnie, was a really great experience. She always pushed us to do our best,” McDonough said. “This fall our goalie group has been really competitive, and it’s awesome to have the opportunity to vie for that spot again. But we’re all really supportive of one another. There’s been no bad times.”

Brandfield-Harvey echoed those sentiments, and highlighted how great she felt being around the team on the trip before mentioning her play on the field.

DeGarmo, who split time in NYAC’s cage with another former Princeton standout goalie in Erin Tochihara, encouraged a big-picture view despite the intricacies of the position and those who play it.

“They just need to keep in mind that the other two are teammates first and competitors second,” DeGarmo said. “That will foster a competitive environment, but will ensure that the success of the team is the most important.”

If Princeton is to repeat last year’s success — the Tigers led host Penn State by a goal fairly late in a 14-12, NCAA quarterfinal loss — it will need competent goalkeeping, at worst. Though uncertainty remains as to who will get the first crack at replacing DeGarmo, Sailer, who does not require her goalie to direct the entire defense, appears to have talented options who are committed to helping the Tigers compete for a fifth straight Ivy League championship.

They’ll need their next goalie ready to blaze that trail by a Feb. 17 opener at Temple.