August 31, 2000
GREENVILLE, SC -- Their collegiate careers are only two matches old, but Furman women's soccer freshmen Danielle Petro (Lilburn, Ga.) and Emily Turgeon (Raleigh, N.C.) have already made a huge impact on the Lady Paladins.
Through the first two matches of the season, Petro leads the team with five goals and one assist (11 points) and Turgeon is third with two goals and three assists (7 points).
In Furman's season opener against conference foe East Tennessee State, Turgeon wasted little time showing why she was starting at one of the forward positions as she scored the first goal of the season 16 minutes into the match. Petro came off the bench to spark the Lady Paladins and recorded a hat trick as she scored three goals in Furmanšs 8-0 rout of East Tennessee State.
Petro became the first player in school history to record a hat trick in her first ever collegiate match. She earned Southern Conference player-of-the-week honors for her three goal performance.
Both players proved that the season opener was no fluke as they combined to spark Furman to a 4-3 victory over Georgetown. Late in the first half, Petro came off the bench again to push Furman to a seemingly comfortable 2-0 lead with her fourth collegiate goal.
But after a Hoya rally in the second half, the Lady Paladins found themselves in a 2-2 fight with Georgetown. At the 81:07 mark in the second half, Danielle Petro dished to Emily Turgeon who scored the go-ahead goal. Just 32 seconds later, Turgeon returned the favor to her roommate, as Petro took a Turgeon pass and connected from 20 yards out on her fifth collegiate goal. That goal turned out to be the game-winner as the Hoyas rallied to score one more goal before falling 4-3 to Furman.
"It has been very challenging so far," said Turgeon. "But I absolutely love it here. The team has been great and their play and intensity has made me play at a higher level."
Turgeon is a 2000 graduate of Cardinal Gibbons in Raleigh, N.C., where she scored 94 goals and recorded 23 assists over her career.
"Danielle and Emily have played very well early this season," said Furman head coach Brian Lee. "They add a new dimension to our returning crop of players and I think that has shown in our first two games. They have both shown that hey are excellent finishers as well."
Danielle Petro currently leads the conference in scoring and is among the national leaders with five goals in two games. She is a 2000 graduate of Parkview High School and played at Norcross for three seasons.
"I always wanted to play college soccer," said Petro. "And this has been really exciting."