Princeton University Athletics
Princeton Water Polo Comes Up Short At Easterns
November 19, 2000 | Men's Water Polo
Nov. 19, 2000
Providence, R.I. - The Princeton men's water polo team entered the Eastern Championships with a 21-9 record and a chance for an automatic berth into the NCAA Division I Men's Water Polo championship. The Tigers fell short of that goal, by losing their first game of the tournament to Queens College 12-11. Princeton came back to win their final two games, but had to settle for fifth-place by virtue of the opening loss to Queens.
Against Queens, Marshall Roslyn, Robert Urquhart and Chris Gratian each had three goals. Kevin Foster rounded out the scoring with two. In an up and down game, the Tigers fell by as many as three goals on several occasions, but couldn't take the lead on any of their comeback attempts and fell 12-11.
With the loss, fifth-place was the best Princeton could do and they took command in the remaining two games to be Johns Hopkins 15-5 and then Harvard 7-6.
Against Johns Hopkins, Foster led the team with four goals and was followed by Drew Jones (3) and Urquhart (2). Five more Princeton players scored one goal apiece. In the cage, Jon Pharris made eight saves in the first half before being relieved by Kevin Murray in the second half. Murray completed the game making five saves.
In the fifth-place game, Princeton met up with Harvard and took a 7-6 win. Foster was brilliant as he connected for five of his teams seven goals. Roslyn and Gratian added the remaining two scores.
Princeton now stands at 23-10 on the year and will await an invitation to the NCAA Tournament as an at large selection. The team has realistic hopes of an invitation as Navy downed St. Francis for the automatic bid 13-12 in sudden-death overtime.