Aubrey Rowe

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. --  Phoebe Champion (Jr., Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto) netted a hat-trick and Helen Meigs (Jr., Solana Beach, Calif./The Bishop's School) chipped in two goals as Princeton University downed Bucknell University 9-6 for a bid to the fifth place game at the 2009 CWPA Eastern Championship hosted by Harvard University.

Christina Michel (So., San Marcos, Calif./The Bishop's School) made 10 saves to earn the win for the Tigers (15-13), while Aubrey Rowe (Sr., Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) led the way for Bucknell (18-16) with a game-high four scores.

Trailing 2-1 with 3:12 left in the first period, Princeton began to take command of the game as the Tigers locked down on defense and outscored Bucknell 3-1 through the 11:12 left in the first half to hold a 4-3 margin at the break.

Meigs added to the margin at the 6:23 mark of the third period with her first score of the day before Champion built the lead to 6-3 with 3:16 left in the period.

Bucknell broke a 19:33 scoreless run at the 6:46 mark of the fourth period on a successful penalty shot by Rowe, but Princeton's offense could not be caged as Champion and Claire Jacobson (Sr., San Luis Obispo, Calif./San Luis Obispo) pumped in even-strength goals at 5:23 and 4:38 to take an 8-4 lead.

The margin expanded further with 2:19 to play as Audrey Zak (Fr., Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad) ripped a penalty shot past Bucknell goalie Alison Carter (Jr., Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) to finish off Princeton's scoring on the day and to give her team a 9-4 lead.

Bucknell closed the gap to three goals prior to the final horn as Rowe notched another 5-meter penalty shot goal at 1:29 and Shana Palencia (Jr., Glendale, Calif./Hoover) converted on an exclusion chance with 21 ticks on the clock for the 9-6 final.

Princeton will finish its competition tomorrow (Sunday, April 26) at 11:30 a.m. in the fifth place game versus Indiana  University, while Bucknell will wrap up its 2009 season at 10:00 a.m. against Harvard University in the seventh place contest.

Bucknell Goals: Aubrey Rowe (4); Kandis Canonica; Shana Palencia 

Princeton Goals: Phoebe Champion (3); Helen Meigs (2); Tanya Wilcox; Lauren Brunner; Audrey Zak; Claire Jacobson

Saves: Bucknell - Alison Carter (2) ; Princeton - Christina Michel (10)

Ejections: Bucknell - 8 ; Princeton - 14

Sprints: Bucknell - Amanda Skonezney (1 - 2nd) ; Princeton - Phoebe Champion (3 - 1st, 3rd, 4th)

Aubrey Rowe shoots a 5-meter against Christina Michel