O'Brien's Two Goals Lift Princeton Past Rider 2-0 and To A 5-0 Start

Thursday, September 7

Princeton, N.J.

7:00 PM

Princeton University

5-0

Rider

0-5

Rider

Princeton

Photo by: Beverly Schaefer

O'Brien's Two Goals Lift Princeton Past Rider 2-0 and To A 5-0 Start

September 07, 2017 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Sophomore Courtney O'Brien's first two goals as a member of the Princeton women's soccer team both came Thursday night as the Tigers beat Rider 2-0 and extended their season-opening win streak and shutout streak each to five games.

The shutout streak ties the longest in program history to start a season, matching the 2000 and 2001 teams' starts. If the Tigers can get into the 89th minute Sunday against New Hampshire, it'd make this shutout streak the longest in program history to start a season, as the 2001 team made it through 87:40 of its sixth game before allowing a goal. Princeton's 5-0 start is its second in as many years along with last season's 6-0 start.

O'Brien's first goal came in the 46th minute when Tatum Gee sent a pass along the endline to O'Brien, who weaved through a pair of Rider defenders and powered it in the right post. Twelve minutes later, O'Brien went from using her feet to her head, pounding a corner kick right off the foot of senior Vanessa Gregoire and in for the 2-0 lead.

Junior Noelani Kong-Johnson started in goal for the first time this season in place of sophomore Natalie Grossi, and the Tigers were also without junior Mimi Asom and sophomore Abby Givens, the team's two leading scorers, as the trio logged heavy minutes over the weekend in Princeton's pair of wins at then-No. 20 North Carolina State Saturday and then-No. 18 Wake Forest Monday. The rest, on the coaching staff's decision, comes during a week that sees Princeton play four games in nine days, culminating with Sunday's 11 a.m. visit from New Hampshire. Sunday's early start is due to the university's opening exercises, which freshmen must attend and which are set for 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

Princeton outshot Rider 17-2 overall and 7-1 on goal, drawing nine corner kicks to one for the Broncs.

Sunday's game can be seen on the Ivy League Network, and admission to Roberts Stadium is free for all regular-season games.