No. 13 Princeton Beats Monmouth 4-0, Advances to NCAA Second Round

Friday, November 10

Princeton, N.J.

7:00 PM

Princeton University

15-2

Monmouth

15-4-2

Monmouth

Princeton

Mimi Asom and Vanessa Gregoire had lots of chances to celebrate as the Tigers moved into the second round of the NCAA tournament.

No. 13 Princeton Beats Monmouth 4-0, Advances to NCAA Second Round

November 10, 2017 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Postgame Video with Natalie Larkin & Sean Driscoll | Highlights

For the second time in three years, Roberts Stadium played host to an NCAA tournament first-round game, and for the second time in three years, the Tigers translated that home-field advantage into at least one more game in the draw of 64.

Mimi Asom scored twice while Abby Givens and Carolyne Davidson, had a goal apiece to lift No. 13 Princeton over Monmouth 4-0 Friday night and into the NCAA second round. They'll await the winner of Saturday's 1 p.m. game between Arkansas, which made the final of the SEC tournament, and No. 21 N.C. State, which Princeton defeated 2-0 in Raleigh back on Sept. 2. The Wolfpack went on to make the semifinals of the ACC tournament.

The location for that game is still to be determined, but if No. 2 North Carolina, the top seed in Princeton's quarter of the bracket, gets past Big South champion High Point in Saturday's game, also at 1 p.m., the Tar Heels would figure to host next weekend's games at WakeMed Soccer Park's Koka Booth Stadium in Cary, N.C. GoPrincetonTigers.com will update the status of Friday's second-round game once the teams and site are determined.

As for this Friday, Princeton outshot Monmouth 28-6 on the night and forced Hawks keeper Amanda Knaub to make 12 saves while Tiger counterpart Natalie Grossi and the Princeton back line allowed just one shot on goal. For Princeton, it was the team's 12th shutout of the season, tying the 2004 team for the second-most in program history behind the 13 shutouts the 2000 team posted. For Grossi, it was the sophomore's Princeton record-breaking 11th shutout of the season, surpassing Kelly O'Dell '84 and the 10 shutouts she turned in during the 1981 season.

Princeton needed less than 11 minutes to get on the board before Asom took a throw-in along the sideline and worked her way through the defense and into the 18-yard box before turning and firing in the opening goal inside the left post. Fifteen minutes later, Asom had the assist as she took a pass forward from Mikaela Symanovich, worked her way around a Monmouth defender and left a ball for Givens to put in from the penalty spot for a 2-0 lead.

Princeton pushed the lead to 3-0 just before the midway point of the second half when Vanessa Gregoire put a ball into the box for Tomi Kennedy, who centered it for Gregoire and a quick redirect to Asom to recover and turn and fire in. Five minutes later, the Tigers worked the ball up the field for Gregoire to get a shot on goal and Davidson to put in the rebound, giving the Tigers the 4-0 lead.

Along with Grossi moving up the shutouts list, Gregoire's two assists tied her with former teammate Lauren Lazo '15 and fellow Canadian Diana Matheson '08 for the all-time Princeton career record with 26 helpers. Asom's two goals lifted her to 31 on her career, moving her closer to Jen Hoy '12 and her fifth-most 36. Asom's five points put her career total at 69, nine back of Matheson's seventh-most total of 78.

Givens became the 12th player in program history to score at least 10 goals in a season, and Asom moved alongside her into the team lead with 10 while becoming the seventh player in program history to notch at least two 10-goal seasons.