PRINCETON EARNS THIRD PLACE IN GIRLS' NATIONAL STATE CHALLENGE BRACKET

CORONADO, Calif. – Sophia Monaghan scored one in the first, second and fourth periods to earn Player of the Game honors and lead the Princeton Tigers to a 5-4 victory over Greater Philadelphia in the girls' 18-and-under bracket third place game at the 2010 National State Challenge.

Greater Philadelphia led just once in the contest opening up a 1-0 lead with 4:07 left in the first period. Monaghan answered for the Tigers 62 seconds later with a blast from the wings at the 3:05 mark.

The goal started a 3-0 scoring run by Princeton as Monaghan scored again at 1:58 in the second period to stake her team to a 2-1 halftime lead before Monica Stiles chipped in a tally at 2:39 of the third period for a 3-1 lead.

Greater Philadelphia rallied to tie the game before the end of the period as the squad converted on a man-chance at 1:11 and added an even-strength goal with five seconds showing on the clock for a 3-3 tie after 18 minutes of play.

The teams continued to trade goals to open the fourth period as Monaghan finished off a hat-trick at the 5:32 mark before Greater Philly retied the game 23 seconds later.

Needing a score to end the game in regulation, the Tigers turned to Madison Andres who rifled a shot into the cage at the 2:04 mark for the 5-4 final.