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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Behncke Erupts for Three Goals, Leads Tigers to 4-1 Win over Cornell
October 29, 2005 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 29, 2005
Box Score
Princeton still has a chance for another Ivy League women's soccer crown in 2005, and the Tigers can thank Emily Behncke for making sure of that in a big way Saturday night.
Behncke scored three times, including twice in a 1:19 span midway through the second half, to lead Princeton to a 4-1 victory over Cornell on a cold night at Lourie-Love Field. The Tigers (6-6-2) improved to 3-2 in the league and won their third straight game.
"Knowing there's still a chance at making the tournament, we just want to come out here and play well in these last three games," said Behncke. "We didn't finish our opportunities in the first half but did a much better job in the second half."
Behncke's spectacular two-minute stretch midway through the second half resulted in two goals that counted and nearly a third. She redirected a ball in front past Cornell goalie Taylor Hendren for a 2-0 Princeton lead at the 69:15 mark, then scored again at the 70:34 mark when she drilled a rebound past Hendren after Sarah Peteraf's initial shot hit the crossbar. Just a few seconds after that, she beat Hendren again, but was called for a foul and the goal was disallowed.
The senior from Williamsburg, Va., who was recognized along with six other seniors prior to the game, became just the second player in school history, along with Esmeralda Negron '05, to have two seasons with 12 or more goals. She had 13 goals last season and now has 37 for her career, third all-time behind Negron (47) and Linda DeBoer '86 (41). Diana Matheson added a goal on a penalty kick 18 minutes into the second half after Maura Gallagher was fouled inside the box. Behncke's first goal of the game came just 8:24 in thanks to an assist from Matheson.
"It's nice to finally have something going," said Princeton head coach Julie Shackford about her team's three-game winning streak. "We've given ourselves a chance to win the league if we can continue playing well."
Cornell (7-6-1, 1-4-1 Ivy) got on the scoreboard in the 74th minute, when Caitlin Oliver scored on a left-footed shot from near the top of the penalty area.
Princeton outshot the Big Red 30-8 for the game. Cornell goalie Hendren had 15 saves.
The Tigers host Columbia Tuesday night (7 p.m.) at Lourie-Love Field before playing at Penn to end the regular season next Saturday.