Nov. 18, 2004

Whether or not the Princeton women's soccer has ever advanced this far in an NCAA tournament before is unclear. On the one hand, the 1982 Tigers played in the quarterfinals after winning their first game in the 12-team field, and the 1983 Tigers were in the 12-team field. On the other hand, no Princeton team has ever won two games in an NCAA tournament before. Either way, the 2004 Tigers have earned a Sweet 16 date with Boston College after both teams swept their games last weekend. The Tigers and Eagles meet Saturday (6, Lourie-Love Field), and for the winner there is a trip to the quarterfinals against the Maryland-Washington winner.

Princeton (17-2) vs. Boston College (15-6-1)

The site Lourie-Love Field • Princeton, N.J.

The date Saturday, Nov. 20, 2004 • 6 p.m.

The coaches Princeton: Julie Shackford (10th season at Princeton, 115-51-10); Boston College: Alison Foley (eighth season at BC, 103-53-15)

The series Tied 1-1

Last meeting Princeton defeated Boston College 1-0 • Sept. 27, 2002

Feeling sweet - Princeton has won two games in an NCAA tournament for the first time in its history.

Coming attractions - The winner of the Princeton-Boston College game will play the winner of the Maryland-Washington in next weekend's quarterfinals. The winner will advance to the Final Four.

Seedlings - Princeton is the seventh seed in the NCAA tournament. Of the 16 seeded teams, 10 have advanced to the third round; second-seeded Penn State and third-seeded Virginia are the only teams seeded higher than Princeton to have lost.

History lesson - Princeton advanced to the quarterfinal round in 1982, when the tournament had 12 teams, and was in the field of 12 the following year as well.

More history - Princeton lost to Boston College 2-0 in the opening round of the 1983 NCAA tournament, when the field had 12 teams.

Nice to see you again - Princeton and Boston College have played twice prior to this weekend's game. The Eagles defeated the Tigers 2-0 in the 1983 NCAA tournament, while the Tigers defeated BC 1-0 during the 2002 regular season on a goal by Kristina Fontanez.

Oh, baby - The 2002 Princeton-Boston College game was believed to be the first game in NCAA history to match two pregnant coaches. Princeton's Julie Shackford gave birth to her twins Cameron and Keegan in December 2002, while BC coach Alison Foley gave birth to her daughter Sidnie in early 2003.

In case you were wondering - The NCAA women's soccer tournament began in 1982 and 1983 with 12 teams, expanded to 14 teams in 1984 ad 1985, went back to 12 teams from 1986 through 1992, expanded to 16 teams in 1993, featured 24 teams in 1994 and 1995, went to 32 teams for 1996 and 1997, went to 48 teams for 1998 through 2000 and has had 64 teams since 2001.

Working overtime - Maura Gallagher became the first Princeton women's soccer player ever to score an overtime goal with her goal at 103:10 against Villanova in last Sunday's second round.

Net results - Princeton has scored six goals in its two NCAA tournament games in 2004. Princeton had scored a total of six goals in its nine NCAA tournament games in seven NCAA tournaments prior to this season.

Highly offensive - Princeton is tied for second in scoring offense in this NCAA tournament with six goals, behind only North Carolina's 12.

Highly defensive - Of the 16 teams remaining in the tournament, 10 (including Princeton) have not allowed a goal through two games.

November madness - Princeton is one of 17 teams to have played in the Division I women's soccer tournament each of the last six years.

No place like home - Princeton has won a school-record 17 straight home games.

More home - Princeton is 4-2 all-time in NCAA tournament games at home and 0-5 all-time in NCAA tournament games on the road.

On the defensive - Princeton has not allowed more than one goal in any game this season.

More defensive - Princeton has allowed no goals or one goal in 62 of its last 67 games.

Conference call - Princeton is 4-0 against the Big East this season, having defeated Villanova twice, Rutgers and Syracuse.

More conference - BC defeated Brown 1-0 in its only game against an Ivy League school. A league of their own - Princeton went 7-0-0 and won its fourth Ivy League championship in five years.

More league - Princeton is the lone Ivy League team remaining the tournament, after Yale and Harvard fell in the first round.

Still more league - Princeton outscored its Ivy opponents 24-3, tying the 1994 Brown team for the most goals in an Ivy season.

Last league - Princeton is 28-5-2 in Ivy League games the last five years.

Aw, shoot - Princeton has outshot its first two NCAA tournament opponents by a combind 54-6.

More shoot - Princeton has outshot all 19 opponents this season.

Goal oriented - Princeton has outscored its opponents 53-8 this season.

More goal - Princeton's 53 goals are the second-highest single-season total in school history. Princeton scored 57 goals in 1980, the first season of varsity women's soccer at the school.

Just win, baby - Princeton has set a school record for wins in a season with 17.

Something in common - Princeton and Boston College have six common opponents (Hartford, Villanova, Rutgers, Brown, Syracuse and Central Connecticut): Record/Combined Score/Combined Shots Princeton 7-0/17-1/163-28 Boston College 5-1/12-2/96-23

Es good as it gets - Esmeralda Negron has set all of the following school records this season: goals in a season (19), goals in a career (46), points in a season (49), points in a career (109), assists in a season (11). She is second all-time in assists at Princeton with 17, three away from the school record.

More Es - Esmeralda Negron was named Ivy League Player of the Year this season and last season, making her one of three players in league history to be a two-time Player of the Year.

Last Es - Esmeralda Negron did not score in the win over Villanova last weekend. Only once this year has Negron gone consecutive games without scoring (vs. UNC Greensboro, Wake Forest).

Fresh faces - The Princeton-Boston College game features two of the 12 finalists for the SoccerBuzz Freshman of the Year award: Princeton's Diana Matheson, BC's Kia McNeill.

D plus - Romy Trigg-Smith, a first-team All-Ivy League defender, scored a goal against Penn in the regular season finale and against Central Connecticut in the opening round after not having a goal in her three-year career prior to that.

Minute-ia - After playing every minute of each of the first 16 games, Romy Trigg-Smith has not played the entire game each of the last three.

Twin spin - Both Rochelle Willis and Janine Willis, seniors who had started every game of the last two years and every game but one freshman year together, missed the early part of the season due to injury. Janine (deep thigh bruise) returned to the starting lineup shortly after the first Villanova game; Rochelle (knee) has been slowed all season.

We're honored - Princeton had the Ivy League Player of the Year (Esmeralda Negron) and Rookie of the Year (Diana Matheson), marking the second time Princeton has swept the awards (1982).

More honored - Princeton was had four first-team All-Ivy League selections (Esmeralda Negron, Romy Trigg-Smith, Emily Behncke, Diana Matheson), two second-team selections (Elizabeth Pillion, Janine Willis) and one honorable mention selection (Brea Griffiths).

Okay, smart guys - Maija Garnaas was a first-team District II CoSIDA Academic All-America for the second straight year. Romy Trigg-Smith was a second-team selection.

Money in the Behncke - Emily Behncke has 22 career goals (10 this season), ninth-best all-time at Princeton. She needs one to move into a four-way tie for sixth, two to tie for fifth, three to tie for fourth, four to tie for third and 19 to tie for second.

Special K - Kristina Fontanez, who scored the only goal in Princeton's 1-0 win over BC in 2002, had a goal and assist in the opening round win over CCSU.

Mad about Madeleine - Madeleine Jackson has a 0.37 goals-against average; the school record is 0.48, set by Dodie Colavecchio in 1985.

Net results - Princeton has alternated goalkeepers for the last two seasons between Madeleine Jackson and Emily Vogelzang. Each has a shutout in the NCAA tournament.

Tournament tested - Elizabeth Pillion, a Villanova native, is playing in her sixth NCAA tournament, three each in lacrosse and soccer. Pillion, a first-team All-America in lacrosse, has won two NCAA lacrosse championships and played in the championship game three times; her combined NCAA tournament record is 13-3.

How I spent my summer vacation - Princeton's women's soccer team took an 11-day trip to Germany in August, playing four games and touring the country.

Coach speak - Princeton women's soccer, with Julie Shackford (1995-present, 10 seasons)/prior to Julie Shackford 1980-94, 15 seasons): Ivy titles 4/1 outright Ivy titles 2/0 NCAA tournaments 6/2 NCAA tournament wins 3/1 winning seasons 9/7 10-win seasons 7/4 wins per season 11.5/7.7