Princeton’s offense was too much for the women’s soccer team on Saturday night, as the Tigers defeated the Red, 4-1, in Princeton, N.J.
Cornell (7-6-1, 1-4-1 Ivy) had trouble getting its offense going, and Princeton (6-6-2, 3-2-0) was able to control most of the game. Princeton’s two leading scorers provided all four goals, and the Tigers’ strong defense was able to stop the Red attack.
Princeton senior Emily Behncke opened the scoring in the ninth minute, when she found the net off a pass from Diana Matheson.
The Tigers would continue their strong offensive charge, although Cornell was able to keep Princeton off the scoreboard for the rest of the first half. Freshman goalkeeper Taylor Hendren made eight saves before halftime to keep Cornell in the game.
But, Princeton would eventually begin to make good on its chances. In the 64th minute, Matheson gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead, scoring on a penalty kick. Moments later, Behncke would score her second goal of the night. She followed that up with another tally just one minute later, scoring off a rebound to give Princeton a 4-0 lead.
“[The Tigers] have some pretty fast forwards, and a good passing game,” said junior Jessica Schindler.
Behncke leads Princeton with 12 goals this year, and she ranks as one of the Ivy League’s best offensive players. She attempted 10 shots on Saturday. Her teammate Matheson has recorded five goals and five assists for the Tigers this season.
Junior Caitlin Oliver would score a goal for Cornell in the 75th minute, but Princeton’s lead would prove to be too large for the Red. The Tigers were able to keep Cornell’s leading scorers – senior co-captains Kara Ishikawa and Shannon Fraser – from getting any real offensive chances. Ishikawa has scored seven goals and three assists this year, while Fraser has recorded four goals and two assists.
Hendren finished the game with 14 saves. Princeton took 30 shots in the game, while Cornell had eight. Oliver took four shots for the Red, including her goal. She has scored four goals this year. Princeton is generally at the top of the Ivy League, and the Tigers went to the semifinal round of the NCAA tournament last year. Although Princeton has had some difficulty this year, the Tigers have now won five out of their last seven games.
Cornell will close out its season this Sunday, when the Red meets Dartmouth in Hanover, N.H. Cornell played the Green to a 0-0 draw last year in Ithaca. The Green took 32 shots in that double-overtime contest, but Cornell was able to hold on for the tie.
“We’d like to finish on a positive note, play a good game for the seniors, and improve on last year’s tie,” Schindler said.
Archived article by Ted Nyman
Sun Staff Writer