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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Princeton Opens Women's Soccer Home Slate Tuesday Night with Lehigh
September 18, 2006 | Women's Soccer
PRINCETON, N.J. -- At 2-2-1, the Princeton women's soccer team opens the 2006 home schedule against Lehigh with a 7 p.m. game Tuesday. It's the last tune-up for the Tigers before opening the Ivy League slate with an important contest at Yale Saturday.
Home opener
Tuesday's game is the first true home contest for the Tigers. The Sept. 2 “home” game was moved to Mercer County Community College due to rain.
Last weekend
The Tigers' defense was strong at William & Mary's tournament last weekend, but the offense was unable to produce as Princeton played to a scoreless tie at VCU and fell 2-0 to the host Tribe.
Long time since
Princeton's 0-0 tie against VCU was the first time since 2001 the Orange and Black played 110 minutes of scoreless soccer. Cal Poly played Princeton to a scoreless tie that year in Los Angeles.
One-sided series
Princeton is 11-0 all-time against Lehigh since the two teams played in the first year of varsity soccer at Old Nassau in 1980. During the streak, Princeton has allowed only one goal, back in 1994. During the seven Shackford-era meetings, the Tigers have outscored the Mountain Hawks 31-0 including a 9-0 win in 1999.
Double or nothing
Junior goalkeeper Maren Dale had an impressive scoreless streak halted at 311:42 against William & Mary. Dale and the Tiger defense have authored three shutouts this year, but when the opposition has scored, it has been twice both times.
Matheson makes it all add up
The Tigers were without Diana Matheson last weekend in Virginia after the junior All-America and two-time First-Team All-Ivy midfielder was called away to train with her Canadian national team. The previous weekend at Penn, Matheson scored three goals and had two assists in a pair of shutouts over Hofstra and Richmond. The performance was worthy of Ivy Player of the Week and SoccerBuzz.com national Elite Team honors.
Trying to stay perfect
Princeton is 6-0 at home against Lehigh, winning in 1980, 1993, 1995, 1998, 1999 and 2001 by a combined score of 32-0.
Hawks can score
Though the all-time series against the Tigers would indicate otherwise, the Mountain Hawks haven't had trouble putting the ball in the net this year, doing so in all seven games.
It only takes one
While the Tigers have yet to have a one-goal game this season, that's all Lehigh has had. All seven of the team's games have been decided by one goal, from a pair of 1-0 shutouts to a 4-3 loss to Saint Joseph's in overtime.
Molina brings the goals
Lehigh senior and Colombia native Daniela Molina has scored six of the Mountain Hawks' 10 goals. Her consistency is impressive, as she scored a goal in each of Lehigh's first six games before getting shut out in the 1-0 win over Monmouth Saturday.
Big game Saturday
Tonight's game is Princeton's last chance to refine things before heading up to New Haven, Conn., to face Yale in the Ivy opener. Yale advanced to the Round of 16 in last year's College Cup tournament and after returning 2005 Ivy Rookie of the Year Crysti Howser, is sure to play a role in deciding this year's league champ.
Firsts for first-years
Several members of Princeton's Class of 2010 have already made contributions on the field. Marci Pasenello chipped in a goal in the Tigers' 4-0 win over Hofstra at Penn. Caitlin Alev has started all five games, and Melissa Seitz, Vicki Anagnostopoulos and Lauren Thomas have started games as well.
Tough place to play
In Julie Shackford's 11 seasons as head coach, the Tigers have only experienced winning seasons at home and sport an impressive 74-18-4 record at Lourie-Love Field during that span. Before Arizona and Yale dealt the Tigers a pair of one-goal defeats last season, Princeton had not lost at Lourie-Love at any time during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Since the Yale game, the Tigers are on a four-game win streak on campus.