Pont, Peteraf take lead vs. Big Green

Perhaps an extra week of rest did the women’s soccer team some good. Quickly shaking off the rust after their road trip to Texas was cancelled due to Hurricane Ike, the Tigers (5-1-1 overall, 1-0-0 Ivy League) have recorded four wins and one tie in their last five games.

Considering that Princeton has won its last two games 1-0, the Tigers can be forgiven for thinking a magical season is in the making. Should Princeton defeat Dartmouth (4-3-1, 0-1-0) this weekend, the team will likely be even more excited. After all, recent history indicates that good things happen when the Tigers take down the Big Green at home.

In 2004, Princeton shocked the nation by reaching the semifinals of the NCAA tournament. It was also the last year that the Tigers defeated Dartmouth on home turf.

In the Tigers’ first Ivy League matchup on Sept. 27, Princeton defeated Yale, 1-0. Sophomore midfielder Lauren Whatley was the hero of the night, netting the game’s only goal in the 19th minute. Senior forward Sarah Peteraf filled the same role three days later, scoring in the 82nd minute against Fairfield to propel the Tigers to their second-straight 1-0 victory.

The constant for Princeton this season has been its relentless defense. In recent years, the Tigers have been able to lean on a potent attack led by Canadian national team member Diana Matheson ’08. With Matheson’s graduation, Princeton has relied on a more conservative strategy.

Senior defender Taylor Numann and the Tigers’ backline have stifled foes’ forwards. Sophomore goalkeeper Alyssa Pont, meanwhile, has been a revelation. Pont mostly sat on the bench last year, soaking up wisdom from veteran goalie Maren Dale ’08. After her short apprenticeship, Pont has stepped up and made a seamless transition into her starting role.

Pont currently boasts an Ivy League-leading .41 goals-against average and has recorded shutouts in Princeton’s last four wins. In fact, she has allowed only three goals all season.

Numann and Pont will have their hands full with a versatile Dartmouth offense, however. Five members of the Big Green squad have contributed four points this season. Forwards Peyton Tata, Alexis Euwema and Ivy Rookie of the Week Aly O’Dea have contributed two goals apiece, while midfielder Myra Sack and defender Melisa Krnjaic have both pitched in a goal and two assists.

Dartmouth goalkeeper Laurel Peak, who is coming off an impressive 11-save effort in the Big Green’s recent 1-1 tie against Boston University, has posted two shutouts, averages fewer than one goal allowed per game and boasts a .837 save percentage.

Peteraf is Princeton’s main offensive threat up front, with eight points on 30 shots taken. The next-closest Tiger, freshman phenom Kalie Bartholomew, has five points on only 10 shots. Bartholomew has only started three of Princeton’s first seven games but will likely become an increasingly important part of the Tiger offense.

Dartmouth represents a chance for Princeton to start 2-0 in the Ivy League for the second year in a row. Thankfully for the Tigers, head coach Julie Shackford has a particularly outstanding record in these circumstances: In Ivy home openers, Shackford has a 10-3 record.

With a bit of luck and the momentum it builds in October, Princeton may just find itself replicating its 2004 success.