.png&width=24&type=webp)
Princeton University Athletics
Men's Soccer Returns From Italian Tour With Two Wins
August 26, 2003 | Men's Soccer
Aug. 26, 2003
ITALY - After their first taste of the world's finest soccer as fans at San Siro and then as opponents versus Parma, the Tigers proved they can handle the heat. Princeton played four games in five days of 100 degree weather and won its final two, 2-1 over AC Noceto and 1-0 over Piacenza.
Princeton, who lost its first game to Parma, trained under the Tabiano sun in preparation for their next match-up against Hellas Verona, a professional Under-21 team. More local flavor awaited Princeton before the game, however, and included a behind-the-scenes tour of a parmesan cheese factory in Parma, the famous city of the cheese's origin, and a shopping trip to Fidenza, a suburb of Parma, for its wide variety of designer outlets on Thursday, August 21st.
The return trip from Parma included a stop atop the rolling hills of Tabiano to "Locanda del Colle," (very loosely translated as "Oscar's,") a beautiful outdoor restaurant whose chef of the same name prepared various local pasta delicacies for the team, as he does regularly for the Italian powerhouse AC Milan. Full of Italian culture and authentic cooking, the Tigers travelled to the pastoral setting of Verona to take on Hellas Verona last Friday. Despite letting in an early goal against the physical team, Princeton fought hard to keep the game in reach.
After Verona tallied again in the first, center midfielder Teddy van Beuren opened Princeton's 2003 scoring with a left-footed shot in the upper left corner from 25 yards out. The Tigers created more scoring opportunities in the second half but Verona held on for the 2-1 win.
Post-game, the Tigers once again dined in style in Verona before heading back to their home base of Tabiano Terme for a Saturday match against AC Noceto, a top regional team. In 100 degree heat, Princeton converted on two of several scoring chances to outlast their opponent, 2-1.
Matt Semmelhack's corner kick found senior co-captain Jeff Hare who headed in Princeton's first goal, while Teddy van Beuren and Bolko Rokicki set up Darren Spicer for the second with less than 20 seconds remaining in the game. Goalkeepers Bobby Geulich and Jason Bell also turned in strong performances for the Tigers.
Princeton then bared the 105 degree heat and outlasted a deep opponent in Piacenza to finish their Italian tour with a 1-0 win over the 2002 Under-21 national champion.
In a physical and fast game, Princeton held its own and demonstrated its best soccer of the tour with key contributions from every member of the squad. The Tigers' defense contained Piacenza in the first half before facing an entirely new line-up with fresh legs in the second. With 15 minutes left to play in regulation and the score knotted at 0-0, Matt Semmelhack's cross from the right flank found senior Marty Shaw, who drilled in the first goal of the game. Bolko Rokicki, knowing Shaw was behind him, fooled a defender and cleared the space for Shaw.
The Tigers fought off a corner kick with less than 30 seconds left and a key save by keeper Jason Bell preserved the shut-out and the Tigers's second Italian tour win. Keepers Erik White, Bobby Guelich, and Bell all played well throughout the week for Princeton.
The Tigers finish their tour of Italy with a 2-2 record and will open its regular season on September 12t at Penn's Kappa classic in Philadelphia They face Villanova at noon.