Princeton University Athletics
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No. 11 Princeton Hosts No. 7 Penn In Key Ivy Men's Lacrosse Game Tuesday Night
April 10, 2006 | Men's Lacrosse
April 10, 2006
How wide open is the Ivy League men's lacrosse race right now? While Princeton is the only undefeated team in the league, six of the seven schools would win at least a share of the title by winning out.
And while Princeton is technically alone in first place, Penn would clinch the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament with a win over the Tigers Tuesday night (7) at Class of 1952 Stadium and a win Saturday at home against Brown.
The Princeton-Penn game can be heard on ESPN Radio AM 920 in both Princeton and Philadelphia.
Polling place - Princeton is ranked eighth in this week's Inside Lacrosse media poll;Penn is ranked ninth. Princeton is ranked 11th in this week's USILA coaches' poll; Penn is ranked seventh.
The whammy - Princeton has defeated Penn 16 straight times.
Close shaves- Princeton's current 16-game winning streak against Penn includes three one-goal wins (1993, 1999, 2005) and one two-goal win (2004).
In case you forgot - Princeton defeated Penn 6-5 in two overtimes last year on a goal from Jason Doneger, assisted by Peter Trombino.
More forgot - Penn took six shots in the two overtimes of last year's game against Princeton before Princeton scored on its first shot of the OTs.
A league of their own - Were Penn to defeat Princeton and then defeat Brown Saturday, it would clinch at least a share of the Ivy League championship and would clinch the Ivy League's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
More league - Princeton is playing its second league game; Penn is playing its fifth league game.
Still more league - Of the seven Ivy League men's lacrosse teams, six (all but Yale) would be assured of at least a tie for the league title by winning their remaining league games.
Another league - The Ivy League has three teams ranked in the top nine in this week's Inside Lacrosse poll: Cornell (third), Princeton (eighth) and Penn(ninth). A fourth team, Harvard, is ranked 19th. Strength vs. strength - Penn is ranked eighth in Division I in scoring offense; Princeton is ranked fourth in Division I in scoring defense.
For starters - Alex Hewit made his first career start in last year's win over Penn. Hewit made nine saves in the game, including three in the two overtimes.
Getting defensive - Princeton has not allowed more than nine goals in a game this season and has allowed more than seven only once.
More defensive - Penn will be the sixth team in the top 13 nationally in scoring that Princeton will have played. Princeton has held each of the first five to at least two goals below its average, including holding No. 1 Virginia nine goals below its average and Johns Hopkins six goals below its average.
The one and Trombino-nly - Peter Trombino leads Princeton in goals, assists, points and ground balls. No player has ever led the team in all four for a full season.
More Trombino-nly - Peter Trombino is the only active player in Division I to have scored an overtime goal in an NCAA tournament game.
Last Trombino - Peter Trombino has scored at least one point in every game of his career; only Kevin Lowe '94 has done so for every game for four years at Princeton. Trombino did not score against Syracuse until 18 seconds remained in the game.
Traveling men - Princeton and Penn are both playing Tuesday night after long bus rides Saturday night. Princeton played at Syracuse Saturday, while Penn played at Dartmouth.
No Joshing - Josh Lesko had his first career two-goal game in the 7-5 loss to Syracuse Saturday.
Frustration - Princeton outshot Syracuse 37-25, 17-2 in the fourth quarter, of Saturday's 7-5 loss. Peter Collucini made 19 saves for the Orange.
Jubilation - Penn rallied from a 6-1 deficit to take a 9-8 fourth quarter lead on Dartmouth. After the Big Green tied it with 46 seconds to play, Penn's D.J. Andrzejewski scored the game-winner eight seconds later. Coming attractions Princeton plays Saturday at Harvard. Penn hosts Brown Saturday.
Spreading it around - Princeton has no player with more than 11 goals but four with at least nine: Peter Trombino (11), Scott Sowanick (10), Tommy Davis (10), Mark Kovler (9).
Injury update - Mike Gaudio, who had at least one goal in 13 straight games, has been out since tearing his ACL at Hopkins March 4. Tommy Davis will be out indefinitely after dislocating his shoulder Saturday against Syracuse.