The date Saturday, March 3, 2007 • 12:00 p.m.
Radio/TV WPRB FM 103.3; www.goprincetontigers.com/ESPNU
The rankings Princeton: No. 1 (Nike Inside Lacrosse)/No. 3 (USILA); Johns Hopkins: No. 7 (Nike Inside Lacrosse)/No. 9 (USILA)
The records Princeton: 1-0;Johns Hopkins: 0-1
The coaches Princeton: Bill Tierney (23rd season overall, 243-80); Johns Hopkins: Dave Pietramala (10th season overall, 95-33)
The series Johns Hopkins leads 52-24
Last 10 meetings Tied 5-5
Last meeting Princeton defeated Johns Hopkins 6-4 • March 4, 2006
History lesson – Princeton is 12-10 against Johns Hopkins since Bill
Tierney became head coach. Prior to his arrival, Princeton was 12-42
all-time against the Blue Jays.
More history – Bill Tierney is 9-10 against Johns Hopkins in the
regular season and 3-0 against Johns Hopkins in the NCAA tournament.
Streaking – Johns Hopkins defeated Princeton 24 straight times from
1967 through the 1990 NCAA tournament.
More streaking – Every member of the Princeton Classes of 1969 through
1989–a total of 176 players–graduated without ever having beaten
Hopkins.
Ancient history – Princeton and Johns Hopkins first played men's
lacrosse on May 17, 1890, when Princeton defeated the Blue Jays 3-2.
Princeton lost to Lehigh one week later and then suspended the sport
due to “concerns of losing to schools that could not field proper
football teams.” Princeton played one game in 1891 and one in game in
1893 and then did not play against until 1921.
Less ancient history – Princeton has played Johns Hopkins at least once
every year since 1937, except for the World War II-shortened season of
1944.
Classic-al – Princeton (6), Syracuse (5), Virginia (3) and Johns
Hopkins (1)–the four teams competing at the Inside Lacrosse Face-Off
Classic–are the only schools to have won the NCAA championship since
1992.
More Classic-al – The four teams competing in the Inside Lacrosse
Face-Off Classic have combined for 43 of the 60 Final Four spots in the
last 15 years.
Still more Classic-al – At least two of the four teams competing in the
Inside Lacrosse
Face-off Classic have played in the Final Four each year since 1992.
The breakdown:
two teams five times (2006, 2005, 2001, 1998, 1997)
three teams seven times (2004, 2003, 1999, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992)
four teams three times (2002, 2000, 1996)
Back in the day – Princeton head coach Bill Tierney and Johns Hopkins
head coach Dave Pietramala have both won two NCAA championships with
the Blue Jays. Tierney was an assistant coach in 1985 and 1987;
Pietramala was a player in 1987 and the head coach in 2005.
Homecoming day – Princeton assistant coach Greg Raymond was a longstick
midfielder on the 2005 Johns Hopkins NCAA championship team.
We're No. 1; We're No. 3 – Princeton is ranked first in the Nike/Inside
Lacrosse media poll and third in the USILA coaches poll.
Just in case we're No. 1 – Princeton is ranked No. 1 in the Nike/Inside
Lacrosse media poll. Princeton was last ranked No. 1 for one week prior
to its 2001 regular season game against Syracuse; that is the only week
since the last week of the 1998 regular season that Princeton has been
ranked No. 1.
Bank on it – Princeton played at M&T Bank Stadium in the 2004 NCAA
Final Four, losing 8-7 to Navy.
I'm honored – Rob Engelke was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week after
scoring three goals (on three shots) against Canisius. Engelke became
the second Princeton player in the last 12 years to score three goals
in the first game of his freshman year (Tommy Davis in 2006 was the
other).
More honored – Alex Hewit became the third Princeton goalie to play for
Bill Tierney to win the Ensign C. Markland Kelly Award as the top
goalie in Division I when he won the award last season, joining Scott
Bacigalupo and Trevor Tierney.
Still more honored – Alex Hewit became the second player to play for
Bill Tierney to be a first-team All-America without being first-team
All-Ivy League. Hewit did so a year ago; Scott Bacigalupo did so in
1994.
Net results – Alex Hewit had a career-low .300 save percentage last
week against Canisius; Hewit allowed seven goals and made three saves.
More net – Alex Hewit's career goals-against average of 6.50 would be
best in Division I history had he played required minimum of 1,400
minutes (he has 1,207:26); career record is 6.65, held by Trevor
Tierney, son of Princeton head coach Bill Tierney.
The All-American boys – Princeton has six players who have earned
All-America honors in their career: Alex Hewit (2006 first-team), Dan
Cocoziello (2006 second-team), Zachary Jungers (2006 thid-team), Peter
Trombino (2006 honorable mention), Mark Kovler (2006 honorable mention)
and Scott Sowanick (2005 honorable mention).
D plus – Princeton allowed an average of 6.56 goals per game a year
ago. It was the second-lowest goals-against for a Princeton team in
Bill Tierney's 19 years as head coach; only the 2001 national
championship team had a lower average (5.80).
More D – Princeton's 2007 starting defense consists of two Inside
Lacrosse preseason first-team All-Americas (G Alex Hewit, D Dan
Cocoziello) and one preseason second-team All-America (D Zachary
Jungers).
The one and Trombino-nly – Peter Trombino is the only player in
Princeton men's lacrosse history to have at least 20 goals and at least
10 assists as a freshman, sophomore and junior.
Lineup card – Peter Trombino, Scott Sowanick and Dan Cocoziello have
started every game of their careers.
Welcome back – Mike Gaudio returns this season after tearing his ACL
against Johns Hopkins last year.
A league of their own – Princeton tied Cornell for the Ivy League
championship last season. It was the 13th Ivy League title in 19
seasons at Princeton for Tiger coach Bill Tierney; Princeton had not
won an Ivy League championship for 21 years prior to his arrival.
D plus – Princeton held its opponents to seven goals or fewer in 11 of
16 games last season.
Bling, bling – Princeton's four coaches have combined for 21 NCAA
championship rings. Bill Tierney has six as Princeton head coach and
two as an assistant coach at Johns Hopkins; David Metzbower and Bryce
Chase have six each at Princeton; Greg Raymond has one as a player from
Johns Hopkins a year ago.
Princeton Lacrosse '07 ... By The Numbers
.300 Alex Hewit's save percentage against Canisius (seven
goals-against, three saves), a career-low; Hewit entered the game with
a career .645 save percentage
1 Princeton's rank in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse poll; Princeton was
last ranked No. 1 for one week during the 2001 season
2 active players in Division I who have scored an overtime goal in an
NCAA tournament game, Princeton's Peter Trombino and UMass' Jim
Connolly
3 goals by Rob Engelke against Canisius last week, on three shots, to
earn Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors
3 times in the last 11 years (2002, 2000, 1996) that the four teams
participating in the Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Classic have made up the
four teams at the Final Four
7 points last week by Tommy Davis (two goals, five assists), a
career-high
9 consecutive games with at least one goal by Mark Kovler, who has the
longest current streak by a Princeton player and the longest by a
Princeton midfielder since Lorne Smith scored in 11 straight games to
end his career in 1999
10 combined goals in Princeton's 6-4 win over Hopkins last year; the
only other time since 1966 that the teams combined for fewer goals was
in 1988, when Hopkins shut out Princeton 9-0 in Bill Tierney's third
game as Tiger head coach
12 Princeton wins over Johns Hopkins, in 22 games, since Bill Tierney
became head coach; Princeton won 12 games in 54 games against Hopkins
prior to Tierney's arrival
15 face-offs won, in 20 attempts, by Princeton's top two face-off men,
Alex Berg and Mike DeSantis, in last week's win over Canisius
18 consecutive seasons in which Princeton and Hopkins will play on the
first Saturday in March
43 Final Four appearances, out of 60 possible, by the four teams in
the Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Classic during the last 15 years
96 career points for Scott Sowanick
176 consecutive Princeton players from the Class of 1969 through the
Class of 1989 who graduated without ever having beaten Johns Hopkins
What Can You Say About ...
John Bennett
• in fourth season of splittling longstick midfield position
• was named Ivy League Player of the Week after Princeton's win over
Hopkins a year ago
Alex Berg
• won 8 of 10 face-offs against Canisius
Dan Cocoziello
• preseason first-team All-America by Inside Lacrosse
• second-team All-America a year ago
• named to Tewaaraton Trophy preseason watch list
• unanimous first-team All-Ivy League defenseman in 2006
• had three goals last season, one off school single-season record for
a longstick, set by John Harrington in 1998
• became first defenseman to be named Ivy League Rookie of the Year
when he won the award in 2005
• has started every game of his career
Trip Cowin
• had an assist against Canisius
Tommy Davis
• had two goals and five assists against Canisius
• five assists and seven points were carer-highs
• had five assists against Canisius after having one all last year
• scored two goals on two shots against Canisius
• has 17 goals and six assists in 11 career games after missing six
games due to injury last year
• missed last six games of regular season with shoulder injury
suffered against Syracuse; returned with five goals in two NCAA
tournament games
• had 10 goals and one assist in first eight career games; has seven
goals and five assists in last three
Mike DeSantis
• won 7 of 10 face-offs against Canisius
• won exactly 50% of his draws as both a sophomore and junior
Rob Engelke
• scored three goals against Canisius
• named Ivy League Rookie of the Week
• became second Princeton player in last 12 years to score three goals
in first game of freshman year (Tommy Davis did so in 2006)
• scored three goals on three shots against Canisius
• scored more than 100 points as a junior and senior at Garden City
High School
Mike Gaudio
• tore his ACL in second quarter of last year's game against Hopkins
and missed remainder of season
• returned from injury to play against Canisius
• had 13-game goal scoring streak snapped against Canisius
• honorable mention All-Ivy selection in 2005
• scored 16 goals in 2005, most by a sophomore midfielder at Princeton
since Josh Sims in 1998
Zach Goldberg
• top shortstick defensive midfielder
• had an assist against Canisius
• has four career goals, all in transition
Whitney Hayes
• has started 30 career games
• had a goal against Canisius
Alex Haynie
• scored three goals against Canisius
• had second career three-goal game
• also scored three goals against Dartmouth last year
• active with Athletes In Action
Alex Hewit
• 2006 first-team All-America
• 2007 preseason first-team All-America
• named to Tewaaraton Trophy preseason watch list
• 2006 first-team All-America despite not being first-team All-Ivy
League (Cornell's Matt McMonagle)
• career goals-against average of 6.50 would be best in
Division I history had he played required minimum of 1,400 minutes (he
has 1,207:26); career record is 6.65, held by Trevor Tierney, son of
Princeton head coach Bill Tierney
• had a career-low .300 save percentage (seven goals-against, three
saves) last week against Cornell
• had a career .645 save percentage after first two seasons
• made at least 12 saves nine times in 16 games a year ago
Zachary Jungers
• third-team All-America a year ago
• preseason third-team All-America by Inside Lacrosse
• named to Tewaaraton Trophy preseason watch list
• honorable mention All-Ivy League
• competed at tryouts for U.S. national team last summer
Charlie Kolkin
• No. 1 longstick midfielder
• has played in every game of career
Mark Kovler
• second-team All-Ivy League in 2006
• preseason honorable mention All-America
• 2006 honorable mention All-America
• sixth all-time among freshman goal scorers (third among midfielders)
at Princeton with 18
• has scored at least one goal in nine straight games
• has longest active streak of consecutive games with at least one
goal and longest by a Princeton middie since Lorne Smith in 1999
• had two goals and an assist against Canisius
Josh Lesko
• preseason honorable mention All-America by Inside Lacrosse
• had a goal against Canisius
• has a streak of six straight games with at least one goal
Scott MacKenzie
• had first career point with an assist against Canisius
Chris Peyser
• starting on close defense
• played in every game last year as fourth defender
• started one game a year ago
Brendan Reilly
• one of top shortstick defensive midfielders
• played in a backup role last year
Bob Schneider
• had a goal against Canisius
• has played attack and midfield in career
Greg Seaman
• scored first career goal in win over Canisius
• won 2 of 5 face-offs against Canisius
• son of Towson coach Tony Seaman
Scott Sowanick
• named to Tewaaraton Trophy preseason watch list
• preseason second-team All-America by Inside Lacrosse
• honorable mention All-Ivy League in 2006
• had an assist against Canisius
• has started every game of career
• has 96 career points
Derek Sudan
• veteran shortstick defensive midfielder
• has played in every game last two years
Peter Trombino
• named to Tewaaraton Trophy preseason watch list
• preseason second-team All-America by Inside Lacrosse
• one of two active players in Division I lacrosse who has scored an
overtime goal in an NCAA tournament game, which he did against Maryland
in 2004 quarterfinals (UMass's Jim Connolly is the other)
• only player in school history with at least 20 goals and at least 10
assists as a freshman, sophomore and junior
• had three goals against Canisius
• has 71 career goals and 112 career points
PROBABLE LINEUP
Attack
20 Peter Trombino Sr. 3-0-3 12 Alex Haynie Jr. 3-0-3
7 Tommy Davis So. 2-5-7
First Midfield
5 Scott Sowanick Sr. 0-1-1
17 Mark Kovler So. 2-1-3
19 Josh Lesko So. 0-1-1
Second Midfield
18 Rich Sgalardi So. 0-0-0
28 Bob Schneider Jr. 1-0-1 8 Mike Gaudio Jr. 0-0-0
Longstick Midfielder
43 Charlie Kolkin So. 0-0-0
Defense
1 Dan Cocoziello Jr. 0-0-0
38 Chris Peyser So. 0-0-0
36 Zachary Jungers Sr. 0-0-0
Goal
15 Alex Hewit Jr. 7.70 GAA
.300 S%
