set command error in c shell script

I am doing this on my script:

set Cnt1 =`echo $Cnt | awk '{print $1}'`
set Cnt2 =`echo $Cnt | awk '{print $2}'`
set Cnt3 =`echo $Cnt | awk '{print $3}'`

I am getting a error saying " set: Variable name must begin with a letter." Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong.. Cnt got value like this:

Cnt = 1 1 1