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Princeton Travels To Take On Defending NCAA Men's Lacrosse Champ Virginia
March 08, 2007 | General, Men's Lacrosse
If it's the second Saturday in March, then it must be time for Princeton and Virginia to meet in men's lacrosse. Princeton threw a defensive blanket over UVa a year ago, holding the Cavs to fewer than half of their season average, but Virginia did leave town with a 7-6 win. This year's matchup comes in Charlottesville, where Princeton is 1-5 in its last six trips to take on UVa.
Princeton vs. Virginia
The site Klockner Stadium • Charlottesville, Va.
The date Saturday, March 10, 2007 • 1:00 p.m.
Radio WPRB FM 103.3; www.goprincetontigers.com
The rankings Princeton: No. 6 (Nike Inside Lacrosse)/No. 7 (USILA); Virginia: No. 4 (Nike Inside Lacrosse)/No. 8 (USILA)
The records Princeton: 1-1; Virginia: 3-1
The coaches Princeton: Bill Tierney (23rd season overall, 243-81); Virginia: Dom Starsia (25th season overall, 262-101)
The series Virginia leads 11-10
Last year Virginia defeated Princeton 7-6 • March 11, 2006
Yes, Virginia – Either Princeton or Virginia or both has appeared in each of the last 15 NCAA Final Fours.
More Virginia – Bill Tierney is 6-9 against Virginia in the regular season and 3-0 against Virginia in the NCAA tournament, with all three wins coming in the Final Four by one goal.
Charlottes-ville web – Princeton is 1-5 in its last six games against Virginia in Charlottesville, with its only win during that time in 2004.
More Charlottes-ville – Princeton went 43-2 from 1996 through 1998; both losses were against UVa in Charlottesville.
Save it – Alex Hewit made 20 saves against Virginia a year ago.
In case you forgot – Princeton held Virginia to a season-low seven goals last year in a 7-6 UVa win at Princeton Stadium. Virginia averaged 15.8 goals per game a year ago; its second-lowest total was 11.
Past 80, and still going strong – Virginia enters the game not having allowed a goal in its last 80:35, after holding Syracuse scoreless from the third quarter on and shutting out VMI. Princeton enters the game having not allowed a goal in its last 0:00, having lost in double overtime to Johns Hopkins.
Nice to see you again – Princeton and Virginia both competed in the Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Classic at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore last wekeend. Princeton lost in double overtime to Johns Hopkins 7-6, and Virginia defeated Syracuse 11-8.
Point, counterpoint – Princeton and Johns Hopkins combined for 13 goals in 64:56 in
Game 1 of the Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Classic last weekend. Virginia and Syracuse combined for 13 goals in the first 21:23 of Game 2.
Sounding like a broken record – The Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Classic drew a crowd of 20,180 to M&T Bank Stadium. It was the largest regular-season crowd in lacrosse history.
Aw, shoot – Princeton has outshot its first two opponents 91-58.
More shoot – Princeton has averaged 45.5 shots per game in its first two games this year; Princeton averaged 35.2 shots per game last year.
Face it – Princeton has won 65.1% (28 of 43) of its face-offs in the first two games of this season. Princeton won 49.2% (150 of 305) of its face-offs last year.
Streaking – Mark Kovler has scored at least one goal in each of his last 10 games. It is the longest streak by a Princeton midfielder since Lorne Smith scored in 11 straight games in 1999.
More streaking – Tommy Davis has scored at least one goal in eight straight games. Josh Lesko has scored at least one goal in seven straight games.
Spread it around – Princeton had six goals by six different players in its 7-6 loss to Johns Hopkins last week.
Poll position – Virginia (fourth) is ranked ahead of Princeton (sixth) in the Nike Inside Lacrosse media poll; Princeton (seventh) is ranked ahead of Virginia (eighth) in the USILA coaches' poll.
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 Princeton wins against Virginia in Charlottesville in its last six trips
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 NCAA tournament wins by Princeton over UVa, all of which have been by one goal in the Final Four
4 goals on the season by Peter Trombino, tops on the team; four other players have scored three
6 assists in two games by Tommy Davis, who had one all of last year
7 goals last year by Virginia against Princeton for its lowest total of the season; its second-lowest total was 11
10 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
19 Final Four appearances by Princeton and Virginia combined in the last 15 years; at least one of the teams has been in every Final Four during that time
20 saves by Alex Hewit against Virginia a year ago
42:33 time to end Princeton's game last week against Hopkins when the score was either tied or one team had a one-goal lead
45.5 shots per game by Princeton, who averaged 35.2 shots per game a year ago
63.2 percentage of face-offs won by Alex Berg through two games; Berg won 48.1% a year ago
72.2 percentage of face-offs won by Mike DeSantis through two games; DeSantis won 50% of his face-offs a year ago
98 career points for Scott Sowanick
20180 attendance at M&T Bank Stadium last week for the Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Classic; it was the largest regular season crowd in lacrosse history