Three Ivy League games on Fall Break schedule

As the women's soccer team enters its final stretch of regular-season games, a series of contests over Fall Break, they find themselves in a situation unfamiliar from past years — in the middle of the pack in the league race. Currently tied for third, the Tigers are under pressure to win the final three games in order to recapture a piece of the Ivy League crown.

Princeton (5-6-2 overall, 2-2-0 Ivy League) will host Cornell (7-5-1, 1-3-1) on Saturday and Columbia (8-5-1, 2-2-0) on Tuesday before heading to Penn (7-4-3, 1-2-2) the next Saturday for the final game of the season.

Though the Tigers have had their fair share of disappointments this season and have endured a grueling midterm week like all other Princeton students, they do have some extra momentum on their side. Their most recent game was a 2-1 overtime victory at Harvard, where senior forward Emily Behncke scored both the equalizer and the game-winner, the latter with 13 seconds left in the second overtime.

"Midterm week is challenging, as you're sleep-deprived and stressed," Behncke said, "but we've been able to keep the same consistently competitive environment all week in practice, and we are definitely ready to go out and try to win the rest of our games."

The first test for the Tigers, Cornell, should present the easiest match of the week. The Big Red currently sits alone in last place in the Ivy League and has lost three of their last four Ivy League games, though it did tie Brown, 1-1, last Saturday.

Cornell's troubles stem from weak defense and a lack of consistency at the goalkeeper position. After a creampuff non-league schedule, the Big Red has allowed 11 goals in just five Ivy League games. Like Princeton, they have juggled personnel in the goal, although Hendren Taylor, who has allowed almost two goals a game, has seen the bulk of the time and will probably start against the Tigers.

Still, Cornell is certainly capable of scoring goals and will test a Princeton defense that has had its moments of trouble this season. The Big Red offense is led by forward Kara Ishikawa, who has seven goals and three assists on the season.

Columbia, which is tied for third in the league along with the Tigers, will present a tougher test. It has a deep offense, with seven players who have contributed two goals or more. Defender Meghan Hurlburt has been the catalyst, with a team-high five assists in addition to three goals, while forward Jana Whiting has been the primary finisher, leading the team with four goals.

The Lions, however, in addition to losing to Cornell earlier in the season, are coming off a 5-0 shellacking at the hands of Dartmouth. Additionally, they have yet to play either Harvard or the league-leading Yale juggernaut, inflating their standing in the league.

Penn will perhaps pose the toughest challenge for Princeton, despite their low league ranking. Last Saturday, the Quakers played Yale to a 1-1 tie, handing the Bulldogs their only non-victory in the conference. They have also not lost a league game by more than one goal, including their matchup against second-place Dartmouth, where a potential equalizer hit the top crossbar during the last minute of play.

Forwards Carolyn Cross and Rachel Fletcher lead the attack with six and five goals, respectively. Jessica Keeley has been stellar in the goal, allowing only 1.02 goals per game and posting six shutouts.

Against these foes, the Tigers will rely on their captains, Behncke and sophomore midfielder Diana Matheson, who have scored 13 of the team's 21 goals this season. Behncke leads the way with nine and was named Ivy League Player of the Week last week for her overtime heroics against Harvard.

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Senior midfielders Maura Gallagher and Maija Garnaas have also elevated their offensive production, as Gallagher has scored two goals while Garnaas has garnered four assists, placing her in a tie for the team lead along with Matheson.

Even if Princeton does run the table, however, it will still need a little help if it is to win the title. Yale would need to either lose twice or lose once and tie twice, and Dartmouth would also have to lose at least one game. But these less-than-perfect odds do not deaden the Tigers' spirits.

"Ultimately we are all here playing because we love the game," Behncke said. "We've had some rough spots this season, but it's going to be great just to get back out on that field and play our game as a team."

Should Princeton win the title, it will continue to play in the NCAA tournament. Otherwise, the book will close on a season in which, despite numerous disappointments, the Tigers showed a will to play.