By Christopher Shannon
Princeton – With returning leading goal scorer, Pietra Tordin, and defender Zoe Markesini away representing the United States, and Canada, respectively at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, it was safe to say that the Princeton women’s soccer team came into their 2024 season opener at Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium missing some key parts on their roster. However, a gritty performance by their Princeton teammates would push the Tigers past ACC foe Miami, 1-0.
With total shots, shots on goal, and time of possessional nearly identical, Princeton and Miami were evenly matched throughout the evening and it felt as though one goal might decide the contest.
That one goal came in the 63rd minute when, after a nifty quick, overlapping pass between Pia Beaulieu and Kayla Wong, Wong was able center the ball just outside the penalty area where she found a streaking Isabella Garces in the box who, then slipped a low shot past Hurricane goalkeeper, Claireese Foley.
“When Kayla Wong gets on the ball magic happens, and, so, as soon as she had it the trust the we have for her, and the trust that she has for her teammates are matched, so I knew that if I made the run she’d find me somehow and she did, and there’s nothing that matches that feeling,” Garces said of her goal, the first of her career, in a post-game interview on ESPN+.
While her teammates were working to score, Princeton netminder Tyler McCamey was equally up to the task of keeping the Hurricanes off the scoreboard. McCamey made five saves against Miami, including a spectacular diving save in the final ten seconds of the match to preserve the clean sheet and Princeton victory.
Princeton’s game against Miami marked the first time that the Tigers’ have faced off against an ACC team since their 2019 match against Boston College, and it was their first victory over an ACC opponent since a win over North Carolina in the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
The Tigers return to action Thursday when they host intrastate foe Seton Hall.
