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Princeton University Athletics
Matheson '08, Canada Open Women's World Cup
June 07, 2015 | Women's Soccer
Princeton alumna Diana Matheson '08 is a FIFA Women's World Cup veteran, though she's in a new role for the 2015 edition.
Team Canada, the host country, began the WWC Saturday with a 1-0 extra-time win over China in Edmonton in the first of three games in Group A. Matheson, a starter for the Canadians in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 Women's World Cups, didn't play in the opener. She made her 166th appearance for Team Canada last Oct. 24 in a friendly against Japan, also in Edmonton, but tore her ACL in the match and hasn't played for Canada or the Washington Spirit, her National Women's Soccer League team, since the injury.
Still, Matheson was named to the 23-player Canadian roster when it was announced in late April. It would have been the highest-profile tournament she had played for Canada since scoring the lone goal in extra time to win a bronze medal for Canada at the 2012 Olympic Games.
The top two teams from Group A, which includes Canada, China, the Netherlands and New Zealand, will advance to the knockout stage. Canada will play again on June 11 at 9 p.m. ET against New Zealand and on June 15 at 7:30 p.m. ET against the Netherlands, both on Fox Sports 1. The Americans, who trained at Princeton's Roberts Stadium before heading to the 2012 Olympic Games, are in Group D with Australia, Sweden and Nigeria.
During her career at Princeton, Matheson was a four-time first-team All-Ivy League honoree, a first-team All-America selection in 2004 while helping Princeton to the NCAA College Cup semifinals and winning the Ivy League Rookie of the Year award, and was the Ivy League Player of the Year in 2007. She graduated as Princeton's all-time career assist leader, with 26, and graduated fifth in career goals (26) and fourth in career points (78).