W. soccer's record blemished as Tigers lose heartbreaker

An undefeated record. An eight-day layoff. An inferior opponent. Fifty-degree New Hampshire air.

These were all factors which ultimately doomed the women's soccer team Sunday afternoon. With the game tied at two goals apiece, the Big Green's Janet Light netted a header with 48 seconds remaining in the second half, giving the Big Green a 3-2 win and ending the Tigers' winning streak. The loss relegated Princeton (6-1-1 overall, 1-1 Ivy League) to the middle of the pack in the Ivy League.

The Big Green (4-5, 2-0) took advantage of Princeton's complacency and scored the game's opening goal in the 16th minute. Forward Lea Kiefer received a ball from teammate Ashley Carruth, traveled down her left sideline, cut to the center of the field — dribbling through two defenders — and scored on sophomore goalkeeper Madeline Jackson from the top of the 18-yard box.

Kiefer celebrated by playing air guitar, though the Tigers would soon have a laugh of their own.

They evened the score less than 10 minutes later when sophomore midfielder Maura Gallagher crossed the ball to sophomore center midfielder Emily Behncke, who ripped a shot from 16 yards out.

"It was our best play of the game," head coach Julie Shackford said.

The goal prompted possession of the ball by the Tigers for the rest of the half — which amounted to nothing, at least offensively.

"We possessed the ball, but we were not a threat," Shackford said. While the Tigers dictated play, Shackford believes that the team did not show a sense of urgency. The Tigers again displayed complacency at the close of the half, maintaining ball possession but failing to generate any substantial offense.

Still, at the start of the second half Princeton took the lead. Maura Gallagher scored directly off a corner kick.

Nonetheless, the goal, while giving Princeton the lead, was not enough to ignite the Tiger attack.

"Even after the score was 2-1 we still showed no sense of urgency," assistant coach Chris Pfau said.

The lead put Princeton back on its heels, and just minutes later Dartmouth responded. The Big Green's Christina Ferraris scored on a rebound off the post. The Tiger defense didn't see her coming, and an unmarked Ferraris had no trouble collecting the ball and knocking it into the back of the net. Once again, for the second part of the half the Tigers dominated but never capitalized on their oppotunities.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

"We had no sense that we were in trouble," Shackford said. "We were in their half the whole time, but we just weren't a threat."

With under a minute left, the sluggish Tigers were once again caught off guard. A ball deflected off Gallagher's leg to give the Big Green a corner kick. Dartmouth's Anne Peick took the corner. With 48 seconds left, she found Janet Light's head. The senior co-captain headed the ball into the net past sophomore goalkeeper Emily Vogelzang.

And with that dramatic play the game was over.

Overall, Shackford pointed out that the Tigers were more skilled and played better soccer.

"Player for player we were better, but they outworked us. That was disappointing," Shackford said.

To the Big Green's credit, though, the team played hard defensively, limiting Princeton to two goals. Also, Dartmouth was the first team this season to prevent junior forward Esmeralda Negron from scoring. Negron had scored a goal in each of Princeton's first seven games.

"They were organized in the back. They always had five players behind the ball," Pfau said.

Essentially, the Big Green sat back and waited for the counter. This type of play is often used when a team anticipates that its opponent is strong. It hopes for the lucky break. In this case the tactic worked.

The Tigers cannot dwell on the past. Tomorrow they face New Jersey rival Rutgers, 7-3-2 on the season. In 2001, the Scarlet Knights beat Princeton in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Last year the Tigers won, 1-0, on Lourie-Love Field. It proved to be one of the most physical games of the season, marked by 30 fouls and five yellow cards. And in keeping with tradition, tomorrow will no doubt be just as physical.