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Princeton University
American
Princeton Thumps American 4-1 To Open Women's Soccer Season
September 06, 2003 | Women's Soccer
Sept. 6, 2003
Final Stats
Washington, D.C. - Theresa Sherry's first goal of this season was hardly as dramatic as her last goal of last season. Still, after a sub-par junior soccer season, it wasn't a bad way to start.
Sherry, who scored the game-winning goal in overtime in last spring's NCAA championship women's lacrosse game against Virginia, scored in the 31st minute of the women's soccer team's opener and started Princeton to a 4-1 win over American.
"It was good to see Theresa get off to a good start," said Princeton coach Julie Shackford. "I thought overall it was a very good performance. We had a lot of people contribute."
Princeton's four goals came from four different players, one each from a freshman, sophomore, junior and senior. The Tigers won their opener for the fourth straight season and improved to 7-2 all-time in season-openers under Shackford. American, the Patriot League tournament champion a year ago, fell to 1-2.
Sherry was Princeton's leading scorer in soccer as a freshman and sophomore, when she scored 15 goals before slipping to one goal last fall. A first-team All-America in lacrosse each of the last two years, Sherry matched her junior year total when she scored on an assist from Kristina Fontanez for the only goal of the first half.
"I thought we played very well," Shackford said. "We moved the ball well. It was a big field, and we were able to spread them out. We finished our opportunities."
The lead grew to 2-0 three minutes after intermission when sophomore Maura Gallagher scored an unassisted goal, but American cut the lead in half when Maha Elnabawi scored at the 54:42 mark. Any momentum the Eagles had disappeared 1:03 later, when junior Esmeralda Negron, a first-team All-Ivy League selection last year, scored her first of the season on an assist from Romy Trigg-Smith.
Freshman Meghan Farrell finished the scoring with five minutes remaining.
Princeton next plays Friday when it hosts the Princeton Invitational at Lourie-Love Field. Penn will face Saint Louis Friday at 5, followed at 7:30 as Princeton takes on UNC Greensboro. Sunday's predetermined matchups will see Penn face UNC Greensboro and Princeton face Saint Louis, with the first game at noon. Admission is free.
After that event, Princeton will head west for games against Sacramento State and California the following weekend before opening its Ivy League season against Yale Sept. 27. Princeton has won three straight Ivy titles.
"We have five games before the league," Shackford said. "That's very abnormal for us. It's going to be nice, because it's a chance to compete against good non-league opponents. UNC Greensboro and Saint Louis are both very good. They just missed out on the NCAA tournament last year. They should both be good tests for us."
Princeton (1-0) 1-3 - 4
American (1-2) 0-1 - 1
Scoring - P: Theresa Sherry (Kristina Fontanez) 30:33, P: Maura Gallagher 47:43; A: Maha Elnabawi 54:42; P: Esmeralda Negron (Romy Trigg-Smith) 55:49; P: Meghan Farrell 85:17
Shots - Princeton 24, American 12
Saves - Princeton: Emily Vogelzang 45 minutes, 2 saves; Madeleine Jackson 45 minutes, 0 saves. American: Alison Doyle 90 minutes, 5 saves