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Princeton University
Harvard
Behncke, Negron Rally No. 9 Princeton Past Harvard In OT
October 23, 2004 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 23, 2004
Final Stats
Esmeralda Negron was in the stadium for Wednesday night's American League Championship Series Game 7 and saw the Red Sox beat her beloved Yankees.
Three days later, Negron helped reverse a different curse, this time the one that her Princeton women's soccer team had at the hands of Harvard.
Negron's goal with 1:31 remaining in the second overtime lifted ninth-ranked Princeton to a stunning 2-1 win over the Crimson Saturday night. Emily Behncke, who assisted on Negron's game-winner, had forced the overtime when she scored with 41 seconds remaining in regulation.
Princeton goalkeeper Emily Vogelzang kept the game going midway through the second overtime when she stopped the Crimson's Brittany Meeks' breakaway. "I turned around with 10 minutes left and said to Ron [Celestin, Tiger assistant coach] 'what have we done to deserve this curse,' " said Princeton head coach Julie Shackford.
The win was Shackford's first in five career tries at home against Harvard and Princeton's first at home against the Crimson since 1992. Behncke's goal to tie it was the first Princeton had ever scored at home against the Crimson under Shackford. Princeton still trails the all-time series 18-6-1.
The game marked the fourth straight year that Princeton and Harvard have gone to overtime. It was also Negron's second career overtime goal against the Crimson; the other was in her freshman season of 2001.
Princeton's win, coupled with Yale's 3-2 win over Penn, put the Tigers in control of the Ivy League race. The Tigers are now 5-0-0 in the league, followed by Penn at 3-1-1 and everyone else with at least two losses, including Harvard at 3-2-0. Princeton would clinch the outright Ivy League title with a win in either of its two remaining league games, first Friday night at Cornell and then the following Saturday at home against Penn.
The Tigers are 12-1 overall.
"I think we all thought we would break through," said Behncke. "It was just a matter of keeping our composure."
Princeton improved its winning streak to eight games and its school-record home winning streak to 13 games. Not that it was easy.
Meeks had given Harvard a 1-0 lead with 38:32 remaining in the second half, and it looked all the world like that goal would stand up despite Princeton's overwhelming edge in shots, which grew to 21-6 by the end of regulation.
What appeared to be Princeton's last chance began when Kristina Fontanez fed the ball into the area to Diana Matheson, who was trapped by three Harvard defenders. The ball then squirted to Behncke, who took one dribble to her left and then fired a low shot into the back of the net, giving Princeton its first home goal against Harvard since 1994. More importantly, it sent the game to overtime.
Harvard, who defeated Princeton 1-0 in overtime two years ago in Princeton, had the best chance in the first overtime, but Emily Colvin's shot from in close went over the goal. The Crimson almost ended it again in the second overtime, but Vogelzang came out to challenge Meeks and was able to smother her low drive.
"They had two people in, and if I sat back, it was going to be a goal," said Vogelzang. "I knew I had to come out and get it, one way or another. I just made a move on the ball, and it worked out."
Princeton took advantage of it three minutes later. Diana Matheson started the play with a pass to Behncke, who then crossed it past Harvard goalkeeper Katie Shields in front to Negron, who easily sent it into the open net.
For Negron, it was her fourth career overtime goal. It was also her 10th of the season and 37th of her career, four of the Princeton record. She also moved within seven points of the school career record with 87.
Princeton outshot Harvard 25-10. Vogelzang made four saves, while Shields made 10 for the Crimson.
"It was a huge win for us," said Behncke. "It was tough, but we kept going. I don't think anybody gave up. We had a lot of chances, so we figured we'd get one."