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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Princeton Returns Home To Face Bellarmine In Men's Lacrosse
March 22, 2007 | Men's Lacrosse
The Princeton men's lacrosse team hasn't played a home game since its Feb. 24 season-opening 18-7 win over Canisius. After four straight games away from home, the Tigers return to Class of 1952 Stadium Saturday afternoon to take on an opponent that will have no sympathy for having to be on the road.
Bellarmine comes to Princeton Saturday (1, WPRB FM 103.3) for the first meeting between the schools, though the Knights did play twice at Class of 1952 Stadium last year for neutral site games. The Knights, who hail from Louisville, are no strangers to being on the road, as this will be their seventh game of the year, with all seven games having been played in different states.
Princeton (3-2) comes into the game having played three one-goal games that have been decided in the final half-minute of regulation or in overtime, including last Sunday's 5-4 win over Hofstra on Tommy Davis' goal with eight seconds remaining. Princeton is averaging 6.49 goals per game; only the 2001 team, which allowed 5.80 during its run to the Tigers' sixth NCAA title, allowed fewer for a full season in Bill Tierney's 20 years as Princeton head coach.
Bellarmine is 1-5 on the season after an 11-3 loss at Notre Dame Tuesday. The Knights are in the first season as a member of the Great Western Lacrosse League after spending several years as a Division I independent.
Princeton vs. Bellarmine
The site Class of 1952 Stadium • Princeton, N.J.
The date Saturday, March 24, 2007 • 1:00 p.m.
Radio WPRB FM 103.3; www.goprincetontigers.com
The rankings Princeton: No. 8 (Nike Inside Lacrosse)/No. 9 (USILA); Bellarmine: unranked
The records Princeton: 3-2; Bellarmine: 1-5
The coaches Princeton: Bill Tierney (23rd season overall, 245-82); Bellarmine: Jack McGetrick (14th season overall, 108-89)
The series first meeting
Nice to meet you – Princeton and Bellarmine have never met in lacrosse.
Welcome back – Bellarmine played two games at Class of 1952 Stadium last season, defeating Binghamton and losing to Butler in three overtimes.
Welcome home – Princeton will be playing its first home game in four weeks, after playing four straight games away from home.
Book it – Alex Hewit moved past the 1,400-minute mark for his career and became eligible for the NCAA's career record book; Hewit's current career goals-against average of 6.50 would be second all-time behind Navy's Matt Russell (5.86 from 2003-06).
Close shaves – Princeton has played five games this season, of which three have been one-goal games decided in the final half minute of regulation or overtime. Princeton lost to Johns Hopkins 7-6 (double OT), lost 7-6 to Virginia (goal with 25.4 seconds remaining) and defeated Hofstra 5-4 (goal with eight seconds remaining).
More close – Princeton has played three games this season (Hopkins, UVa, Hofstra) where neither team ever had more than a two-goal lead at any point.
Aw, shoot – Princeton attempted a season-low 30 shots against Hofstra in a 5-4 Sunday afternoon.
More shoot – Princeton is averaging 40.6 shots per game this season. Princeton averaged 35.2 shots per game a year ago and 32.4 shots per game two years ago.
Open Mike – Senior Mike DeSantis has two goals and one assist in his last two games after having one assist for his career prior to that.
More Mike – Mike DeSantis won 7 of 11 face-offs and scored Princeton's fourth goal in a 5-4 win over Hofstra Sunday afternoon.
Welcome back – Tommy Davis scored two goals, including the game-winner with eight seconds remaining, in Princeton's 5-4 win over Hofstra; Davis had missed Princeton's previous game against Rutgers after an injury in the Virginia game.
Tommy boy – Tommy Davis leads Princeton in assists (seven) and points (12), depite only playing in four of five games.
Streaking – Josh Lesko had his streak of consecutive games with at least one goal stopped at nine in Princeton's win over Hofstra, but he did extend his points-scoring streak to 10 games with an assist.
More streaking – Bob Schneider (three straight) has the longest current streak of consecutive games with at least one goal.
D plus – Princeton's close defense of Chris Peyser, Dan Cocoziello and Zachary Jungers held Hofstra's attack without a point (no goals, no assists).
Welcome to the Jungers – Zachary Jungers held Hofstra's Tommy Dooley without a point in Sunday's win. Dooley, the 2006 Colonial Athletic Associate Rookie of the Year after scoring a Hofstra freshman-record 38 goals, came into the game as the leading scorer for the Pride.
Four score – No Princeton player has scored more than three goals in a game since Jason Doneger did so against Butler in 2005, a span of 24 games. A total of seven players have scored three in a game during that stretch (Peter Trombino, Scott Sowanick, Tommy Davis, Bob Schneider, Mark Kovler, Alex Haynie, Rob Engelke).
Face-it – Princeton has won 57.7% of its face-offs this year after winning 49.2% a year ago.
Polling place – Princeton is ranked eighth in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse media poll and ninth in the USILA coaches' poll. Princeton's two losses are to teams ranked second (Hopkins) and third (Virginia) in the media poll.
Can you spare a dime? – Tommy Davis has seven assists this season after having one all of last year.
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 has allowed an average of 6.49 goals per game, which would be the second-lowest goals-against for a Princeton team in Bill Tierney's 20 years as head coach; only the 2001 national championship team had a lower average (5.80) for a full season.
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.
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
0 total points (goals and assists) scored by Hofstra's attack in Princeton's 5-4 win last Sunday
1 margin of defeat by Princeton in both of its losses, each by a 7-6 score to Johns Hopkins (double OT) and Virginia (goal with 25.4 seconds remaining)
2 goals by Mike DeSantis in the last two games; DeSantis had no career goals prior to that
3 games played by Princeton, out of five, that have been decided by one goal; the game-winning goal has come in all three games in either the final half-minute of regulation or overtime
4 consecutive games away from home for Princeton (three away, one neutral-site two miles from the opponents' campus)
6.49 average goals per game allowed by Princeton, which would be the second-lowest figure for a season in Bill Tierney's 20 years as Tiger head coach; the 2001 NCAA championship team allowed 5.80
8 seconds remaining against Hofstra when Tommy Davis scored the game-winning goal
10 consecutive games with at least one point by Josh Lesko
10.6 average number of shots per game by which Princeton has outshot its opponents
26 face-offs won by Mike DeSantis in five games this season; DeSantis won 25 face-offs all of last season
30 saves by Alex Hewit against Virginia in the last two years
40.6 shots per game by Princeton, who averaged 35.2 per game a year ago and 32.4 shots per game in 2005
48 games played by Princeton since the start of the 2004 season; Scott Sowanick and Peter Trombino have started all 48
57.7 percentage of face-offs won by Princeton this season; Princeton has not won more than 50% of its face-offs for a full season since 2002
60.9 percentage of face-offs won by Princeton in the 1997 season, the last time Princeton had a higher percentage than its current 57.2% for a full season
What Can You Say About ...
John Bennett
• in fourth season of splitting longstick midfield position
Alex Berg
• has won 25 of 39 face-offs
• won 6 of 10 face-offs against Rutgers
• won 8 of 10 against Canisius
• won 6 of 12 against Virginia
• missed the Hofstra game due to injury suffered against RU
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
• had an assist against Rutgers
Trip Cowin
• had an assist against Canisius
• came back from off-season knee surgery
Tommy Davis
• leads team with seven assists and 12 points
• scored two goals against Hofstra, including game-winner with eight seconds remaining, after missing Rutgers games due to injury
• 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
• missed game against Rutgers due to injury
Mike DeSantis
• has won 26 of 46 face-offs
• had a goal against Hofstra
• had first career goal against Rutgers
• goal came 15 seconds after an RU goal had made it a two-goal game in the fourth quarter
• also had an assist against Rutgers for first career two-point game
• has four career points, three of which have come in last two games
• won 7 of 11 face-offs against Hofstra
• 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
• had first career assist in win over Hofstra
• 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 a goal and assist against Rutgers
• had an assist against Canisius
• has five 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
• had two assists against UVa
• had an assist against Hofstra
• 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 is second all-time behind Navy's Matt Russell (5.86 from 2003-06)
• made 11 saves while allowing four goals against Hofstra (.733 save percentage)
• 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
• made 10 saves against Rutgers
• had a career-low .300 save percentage (seven goals-against, three saves) against Canisius
• has a career .628 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
• held Hofstra's Tommy Dooley without a goal or assist; Dooley was Hofstra's leading scorer and the 2006 Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Year after scoring 38 goals
• held Colin Checcio, Rutgers' leading scorer, to one goal, which came with three minutes remaining
• competed at tryouts for U.S. national team in 2005
Charlie Kolkin
• No. 1 longstick midfielder
• scored first goal of career (second goal of game) in win over Rutgers
• 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
• had 10 straight-game goal-scoring streak snapped against UVa
• scored three goals against Rutgers to tie career high
• had a goal against Hofstra
• 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
• has one goal in each of first four games
• had a goal and assist against UVa
• had a goal against Hopkins and a goal against Canisius
• had a streak of nine straight games with at least one goal snapped against Hofstra; had exactly one goal in each of the nine games during streak
• had an assist against Hofstra to run streak of consecutive games with at least one point to 10
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
• shut out Hofstra's Ryan Miller in 5-4 Princeton win
• started one game a year ago
Brendan Reilly
• one of top shortstick defensive midfielders
• played in a backup role last year
Bob Schneider
• had two goals against Rutgers
• had one goal against Hofstra, Virginia and Canisius
• has played attack and midfield in career
Greg Seaman
• scored first career goal in win over Canisius
• had a goal against Rutgers
• won 2 of 5 face-offs against Canisius
• son of Towson coach Tony Seaman
Tripp Shriner
• made first career start against Rutgers
• had a goal and assist against Rutgers
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 a goal and three assists against Rutgers
• assisted on all three of Mark Kovler's goals against Rutgers
• had an assist against Canisius
• has started every game of career
• has 103 career points
Derek Sudan
• veteran shortstick defensive midfielder
• had first career point with an assist against Rutgers
• 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
• leads team in goals (nine)
• assisted on Tommy Davis' game-winning goal against Hofstra with eight seconds remaining
• had three goals against Virginia
• had two goals and an assist against Rutgers
• had a goal against Hopkins
• had three goals against Canisius
• has 77 career goals and 120 career points