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Princeton University Athletics
Friday, September 14
South Bend, Ind.
7:30 p.m.
Princeton University
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Notre Dame
Players Mentioned
Tigers Score First, Defending National Runner-Up Notre Dame Wins Game 4-2
September 14, 2007 | Women's Soccer
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The first goal of the season set of a celebration worthy of a game-winner, but don't fault those on the pitch for the Princeton women's soccer team for their enthusiasm.
It was Princeton's first goal of the season in its fourth game, the first margin for a defense that allowed just two goals in 290 minutes entering Friday night's game at Notre Dame. It came against one of the three teams that appeared along with Princeton in the 2004 College Cup, that won the championship last year and finished second a year ago.
Four minutes and 16 seconds later, the margin was gone. Princeton scored its second goal of the season in the second half, but Notre Dame added three more in a 4-2 win.
The loss dropped Princeton's record to 0-3-1 with all four games against teams ranked or receiving votes in national polls. Notre Dame, which evened its record at 2-2-1, is rated from ninth to 16th in four polls.
It was Alexandra Valerio's goal that gave Princeton a lead in the 22nd minute. The rookie recovered an uncleared ball off a corner kick and pounded it into the net amid a scrum just in front of the goal line. The goal ended Princeton's season-opening scoreless streak at 311:04.
While Princeton hadn't been able to score on the young season until Valerio's marker, the Tigers had done a fine job of keeping the other team out of the net as well. Goalkeeper Maren Dale and company had allowed just two goals in three games and were coming off a shutout against another Big East team, Villanova, last Friday before denying the Irish a goal until the 26th minute.
Amanda Cinalli had the equalizer for Notre Dame after receiving a centering pass from Laura Fowlkes. Curling around the corner to Dale's right, Fowlkes found a charging Cinalli up the middle and was able to thread Cinalli a pass that the Irish captain put inside the right post one-on-one with Dale.
Valerio's goal was Princeton's first shot and one of two in the half. Notre Dame had eight shots in the half with two on net, crediting Dale with only one official save for the period. The Princeton keeper, though, played a huge role in snuffing out Notre Dame's four corner kicks and a number of crosses. Princeton had just one corner kick in the opening 45 minutes and made it count as it resulted in Valerio's goal.
Notre Dame tipped the field toward the Princeton zone out of the break and found success again off a cross in the 60th minute. The Irish's Kerri Hanks fired along the six-yard line extended and found Michele Weissenhofer to knock it in for a 2-1 lead. Notre Dame's third goal came in the 72nd minute off a direct kick by Hanks, who fired it over the Princeton wall and beyond the outstretched right arm of Dale for a 3-1 lead.
Princeton had four second-half shots, including a free kick from well beyond the 18-yard box by Jen Om that skipped its way into the net in the 76th minute. Notre Dame countered just 90 seconds later, however, as Cinalli deflected a flip throw-in by Weissenhofer to regain a two-goal advantage.
Dale finished with five saves while Irish netminder Nikki Weiss played the first 64 minutes without a save and Lauren Karas closed it out, also without a save. Notre Dame had six corner kicks to Princeton's two.
Princeton will return to Notre Dame's Alumni Field Sunday when it faces its fifth Pac-10 team all time in Washington State (3-0-1). The Cougars made a first-half goal stand up in the opening game of the Irish's tournament, downing Oklahoma State 1-0.
It was Princeton's first goal of the season in its fourth game, the first margin for a defense that allowed just two goals in 290 minutes entering Friday night's game at Notre Dame. It came against one of the three teams that appeared along with Princeton in the 2004 College Cup, that won the championship last year and finished second a year ago.
Four minutes and 16 seconds later, the margin was gone. Princeton scored its second goal of the season in the second half, but Notre Dame added three more in a 4-2 win.
The loss dropped Princeton's record to 0-3-1 with all four games against teams ranked or receiving votes in national polls. Notre Dame, which evened its record at 2-2-1, is rated from ninth to 16th in four polls.
It was Alexandra Valerio's goal that gave Princeton a lead in the 22nd minute. The rookie recovered an uncleared ball off a corner kick and pounded it into the net amid a scrum just in front of the goal line. The goal ended Princeton's season-opening scoreless streak at 311:04.
While Princeton hadn't been able to score on the young season until Valerio's marker, the Tigers had done a fine job of keeping the other team out of the net as well. Goalkeeper Maren Dale and company had allowed just two goals in three games and were coming off a shutout against another Big East team, Villanova, last Friday before denying the Irish a goal until the 26th minute.
Amanda Cinalli had the equalizer for Notre Dame after receiving a centering pass from Laura Fowlkes. Curling around the corner to Dale's right, Fowlkes found a charging Cinalli up the middle and was able to thread Cinalli a pass that the Irish captain put inside the right post one-on-one with Dale.
Valerio's goal was Princeton's first shot and one of two in the half. Notre Dame had eight shots in the half with two on net, crediting Dale with only one official save for the period. The Princeton keeper, though, played a huge role in snuffing out Notre Dame's four corner kicks and a number of crosses. Princeton had just one corner kick in the opening 45 minutes and made it count as it resulted in Valerio's goal.
Notre Dame tipped the field toward the Princeton zone out of the break and found success again off a cross in the 60th minute. The Irish's Kerri Hanks fired along the six-yard line extended and found Michele Weissenhofer to knock it in for a 2-1 lead. Notre Dame's third goal came in the 72nd minute off a direct kick by Hanks, who fired it over the Princeton wall and beyond the outstretched right arm of Dale for a 3-1 lead.
Princeton had four second-half shots, including a free kick from well beyond the 18-yard box by Jen Om that skipped its way into the net in the 76th minute. Notre Dame countered just 90 seconds later, however, as Cinalli deflected a flip throw-in by Weissenhofer to regain a two-goal advantage.
Dale finished with five saves while Irish netminder Nikki Weiss played the first 64 minutes without a save and Lauren Karas closed it out, also without a save. Notre Dame had six corner kicks to Princeton's two.
Princeton will return to Notre Dame's Alumni Field Sunday when it faces its fifth Pac-10 team all time in Washington State (3-0-1). The Cougars made a first-half goal stand up in the opening game of the Irish's tournament, downing Oklahoma State 1-0.
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