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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Princeton Makes Short Trip To Take On Rutgers In Men's Lacrosse
March 12, 2007 | Men's Lacrosse
Princeton has dropped back-to-back 7-6 games in the early season, one in double overtime to Johns Hopkins and one on a goal with 25.4 seconds remaining Saturday against defending NCAA champion Virginia. The Tigers next test is Tuesday night in Piscataway (7 pm, WPRB FM 103.3), where Princeton and Rutgers will renew a rivalry that dates to 1888.
Princeton vs. Rutgers
The site Yurcak Field • Piscataway, N.J.
The date Tuesday, March 13, 2007 • 7:00 p.m.
Radio WPRB FM 103.3; www.goprincetontigers.com
The rankings Princeton: No. 9 (Nike Inside Lacrosse)/No. 10 (USILA); Rutgers: unranked
The records Princeton: 1-2; Rutgers: 1-2
The coaches Princeton: Bill Tierney (23rd season overall, 243-82); Rutgers: Jim Stagnitta (18th season overall, 166-85)
The series Princeton leads 52-29-3
Last 10 meetings Princeton leads 9-1
Last year Princeton defeated Rutgers 11-5 • April 25, 2006
Hots for Tots – The winner of the Princeton-Rutgers game is awarded the Harland (Tots) Meistrell Cup, whose namesake is credited with reviving the sport of lacrosse at both Rutgers (1920) and Princeton (1921).
History lesson – Princeton and Rutgers first played men's lacrosse on April 25, 1888, in New Brunswick, and May 2, 1888 in Princeton. Both games were won by Princeton.
More history – Princeton and Rutgers meet for the 84th time; the only team Princeton has played more is Yale, whom the Tiges have played 86 times.
Last history – Princeton and Rutgers have met every year since 1926 except for the World War II years of 1944 and 1945.
On the one hand ... – Princeton has defeated Rutgers in 17 of their last 18 meetings.
On the other hand ... – Princeton and Rutgers have split their last two games. Rutgers defeated Princeton 8-5 in 2005; Princeton defeated Rutgers 11-5 a year ago.
Instant replay – Princeton has lost its last two games by the same score, falling 7-6 to Johns Hopkins in double overtime and 7-6 to Virginia on a goal with 25.4 seconds remaining.
More replay – Princeton has lost 7-6 to Virginia each of the last two years; no other team in that time has held Virginia under 10 goals.
In case it's a 7-6 final – Only once in Princeton lacrosse history has Princeton ever played three straight games that had the exact same final score. Princeton lost to the Druids of Baltimore and Harvard and defeated New York University 3-1 during the 1886 season.
Triple play – Princeton has allowed exactly seven goals in each of its first three games.
Aw, shoot – Princeton has averaged 43.3 shots per game in its first two games; Princeton averaged 35.2 shots per game last year.
More shoot – Princeton has a .234 shooting percentage; Princeton's opponents have a .231 shooting percentage.
Close shaves – Princeton has played its last 102:33 where no team has had greater than a two-goal lead.
Polling place – Princeton is ranked ninth in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse media poll and 10th in the USILA coaches' poll. Princeton's two losses are to teams ranked second (Hopkins) and third (Virginia) in the media poll.
Face it – Princeton has won 58.3% (35 of 60) of its face-offs in the first three games of this season. Princeton won 49.2% (150 of 305) of its face-offs last year.
Can you spare a dime? – Tommy Davis leads Princeton with seven assists. Scott Sowanick is second with two; nine other players have one each.
Streaking – Josh Lesko has the longest current streak of consecutive games with at least one goal (eight straight) of any Princeton player.
Save it – Alex Hewit has 30 saves and 14 goals-against in the last two years against Virginia. No other goalie has held UVa under 10 goals since the start of the 2006 season; Hewit has done it twice.
I'm 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.
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.
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.
Princeton Lacrosse '07 ... By The Numbers
1 margin of defeat by Princeton in each of its last two games, both by the score of 7-6 to No. 2 Johns Hopkins (in 2OT) and No. 3 Virginia (with 25.4 seconds left)
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 Princeton in the second half of its last two games combined
4 P
7 goals allowed by Princeton in each of its first three games
8 consecutive games with at least one goal by Josh Lesko for the longest current streak by a Princeton player
14 goals per game by Virginia in its four games aside from Princeton; UVa scored seven against the Tigers
30 saves by Alex Hewit against Virginia in the last two years
32:35 scoreless stretch for Princeton against Virginia from the second quarter through the fourth quarter
43.3 shots per game by Princeton, who averaged 35.2 per game a year ago and 32.4 shots per game in 2005
60 face-offs by Princeton, of which the Tigers have won 35 (58.3%); Princeton won 49.2% a year ago
84 meetings between Princeton and Rutgers, including the one this season; Princeton has only played one other team (Yale, 87th meeting this season) more than Rutgers
98 career points for Scott Sowanick
102:33 active streak of minutes played by Princeton during which neither the Tigers nor their opponent have had a lead of more than two
20180 attendance at M&T Bank Stadium for the Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Classic; it was the largest regular season crowd in lacrosse history
What Can You Say About ...
John Bennett
• in fourth season of splitting longstick midfield position
Alex Berg
• woon 18 of 31 face-offs
• won 8 of 10 face-offs against Canisius
• won 6 of 12 against Virginia
Michael Biles
• had a goal in each of first two games
• missed almost all of last year with injury
• played in 24 games first two years
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
• came back from off-season knee surgery
Tommy Davis
• leads team with seven assists and 10 points
• 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
• had a goal and assist against Hopkins
• had an assist against UVa
• had an eight-game goal-scoring streak snapped in game against UVa
• missed last six games of 2006 regular season with shoulder injury suffered against Syracuse; returned with five goals in two NCAA tournament games
Mike DeSantis
• has won 14 of 23 face-offs
• won 6 of 8 face-offs against Hopkins
• 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 after that game
• 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
• had an assist against Virginia
• 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 to tie career high
• had a goal against Virginia
• 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 6.54 would be best in
Division I history had he played required minimum of 1,400 minutes (he has 1,330:22); career record is 6.65, held by Trevor Tierney, son of Princeton head coach Bill Tierney
• made 10 saves against Virginia
• has made 30 saves and allowed 14 goals in last two games against UVa
• is the only goalie to hold Virginia under 10 goals during the last two seasons; he's done it twice
• made 10 saves against Johns Hopkins
• had a career-low .300 save percentage (seven goals-against, three saves) against Canisius
• has a career .631 save percentage
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
• started every game on close defense last two years after being top longstick midfielder first two years
• competed at tryouts for U.S. national team in 2005
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
• was sixth all-time among freshman goal scorers (third among midfielders) at Princeton with 18
• has 10 straight-game goal-scoring streak snapped against UVa
• has longest active streak of consecutive games with at least one goal and longest by a Princeton middie since Lorne Smith scored in 11 straight in 1999
• scored tying goal in fourth quarter against Johns Hopkins
• had two goals and an assist against Canisius
Josh Lesko
• preseason honorable mention All-America by Inside Lacrosse
• had a goal and assist against UVa
• had a goal against Hopkins and a goal against Canisius
• has a streak of eight 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 Virginia and 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 a goal and assist against Hopkins
• had an assist against Canisius
• has started every game of career
• has 98 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 Virginia
• had a goal against Hopkins
• had three goals against Canisius
• has 75 career goals and 116 career points