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Princeton University Athletics
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Princeton Men's Lacrosse 2009 - Season Preview
February 10, 2009 | Men's Lacrosse
The Princeton men's lacrosse team trailed heading into the fourth quarter before rallying for a win in its 14th game of last season. That was followed by scoring the only goal of the fourth quarter to snap a tie game and win game No. 15. The final game of the year saw Princton cruise from the start before calling off the dogs en route to an easy win.
Unfortunately, games 14-16 came not in the NCAA tournament in May. Instead, they were played in Spain and Ireland in June, the first two against the English national team that would go on to win the European championship a month later and the third against the English U-19 team, which would finish fourth at the World Championships.
Those games did nothing for the Tigers in 2008. For 2009, though, it is another story. The trip to Europe saw several young players make a statement about their plans for future playing time ? though standing in their way will be a deep freshman class that Inside Lacrosse magazine has called the best in Division I.
Add it all up, and there is cautious optimism for the Tigers coming off a 7-6 record a third-place Ivy League finish a year ago. Princeton was 7-4 and undefeated in the Ivy League after a big win over Cornell before losses to Dartmouth and Brown ended the season short of the Ivy title and on the outside of the NCAA tournament.
The 2009 season will see Princeton shake up its schedule a bit, as for the first time since 1991, there will be no regular-season game against Virginia. Instead, the third weekend of the season will see Princeton travel to UMBC on Friday night and then host Manhattan Sunday afternoon.
The rest of the schedule is basically the same as a year ago, with most of the sites reversed. Canisius will again come to Princeton, though on Feb. 21, for the earliest lacrosse game in school history. Princeton will participate in the Konica Minolta Face-Off against Johns Hopkins for the third straight year, though Duke-Maryland replaces Syracuse-Virginia as the other game at M&T Bank Stadium.
Princeton actually plays two games at an NFL venue this year, both of which are ESPNU telecasts. In addition to the Hopkins game, Princeton will play Syracuse at Giants Stadium in the Inside Lacrosse Big City Classic, a tripleheader that starts with North Carolina-Virginia and ends with Hofstra-Delaware.
Albany comes to Princeton to complete a home-and-home in a game that will also be on ESPNU.
The Tigers are at Rutgers for the annual meeting for the Meistrell Cup. The Ivy League sees Princeton home with Harvard, Dartmouth and Brown and at Yale, Penn and Cornell.
A position-by-position look at the 2009 Tigers ...
Attack
Starters Returning ? Tommy Davis (23-16-39), Jack McBride (19-2-21)
Starter Lost ? Alex Haynie (9-4-13)
Other Letterwinners Returning ?Rob Engelke (2-2-4), Peter Gudmundsen (0-0-0), Chris McBride (2-3-5), Greg Seaman (3-0-3)
Other Letterwinners Lost - none
Newcomers ? Alex Capretta, Mike Grossman, Clif Larkin
Outlook ? Tommy Davis is a proven scorer for Princeton who enters his senior year closing in on the 100-point mark for his career. A year ago, Davis became the first player to lead the Tigers outright in goals and assists in the same season since Justin Tortolani did in 18 years earlier. Jack McBride came in as a very heralded recruit and promptly became the Ivy League Rookie of the Year. Those two, as well as Jack's cousin Chris McBride (a midfielder a year ago as a freshman), figure to be the starting attack unit. Greg Seaman is a tri-captain of the 2009 Tigers, and he has been a valuable member of the offense at both attack and midfield during his career. Junior Rob Engelke has played primarily on extra man opportunities his first two years and has always been a solid contributor. Freshmen Clif Larkin and Alex Capretta will certainly see the field, though Capretta could play in the midfield.
Offensive midfield
Starters Returning ? Mark Kovler (16-2-18 before breaking ankle with four games remaining), Josh Lesko (2-3-5)
Starter Lost ? Bob Schneider (20-3-23), Pete Striebel (4-12-16)
Other Letterwinners Returning ? Trip Cowin (did not play in 2008), Matt Doherty (0-0-0), Sam Hayes (0-0-0), Scott MacKenzie (4-8-12), David Marshall (0-0-0), Tyler Moni (0-0-0), Ryan Morrell (1-0-1), Connor Reilly (2-0-2), Rich Sgalardi (4-7-11)
Other Letterwinners Lost ? Mike Gaudio (0-0-0), Jeff Izant (0-0-0)
Newcomers ? Mike Chanenchuk, Mark Feild , Mike Grossman, Oscar Loynaz
Outlook ? Mark Kovler has been an All-America each of his first three seasons, including honorable mention status a year ago despite missing the final month due to a broken ankle. Before his injury, Kovler was the team's leading goal-scorer with 16, including four against Virginia. He is quick and a top shooter, and he is completely healthy for his senior year. Josh Lesko, another senior, moved into Kovler's spot in the starting lineup last year when Kovler went down. Lesko himself has battled injuries throughout his career, but he can play offensive or defensive midfield and is one of the fastest Tigers when healthy. Bob Schneider had a huge senior year, while Pete Striebel had a huge second-half of his senior year; both are gone to graduation, and Striebel went to play for Denver in Major League Lacrosse. Their graduation leaves all kinds of options in the midfield. Kovler is a given; Lesko can play in the offensive midfield or concentrate on defense. Senior Rich Sgalardi has started on and off since his freshman year, while junior Scott MacKenzie has played considerably on attack and in the midfield his first two years. The two combined for eight goals and 15 assists last year, and either one or both could probably double that goal total by himself this year. Trip Cowin, who missed the 2008 season, is back for his senior year after seeing considerable playing time his first three years. Connor Reilly can also be a factor in his sophomore year, as can Tyler Moni, who made great strides forward in Europe and in the fall. Freshmen Mike Chanenchuk, Mark Feild and Mike Grossman could all play.
Defensive midfield
Starters returning ? Brendan Reilly (1-0-1, 11 GB)
Starters lost ? Zack Goldberg (2-3-5, 25 GB)
Other returning letterwinners ? Jimmy Davis, Tim Palmer
Other letterwinners lost ? Jim Weiss
Newcomers ? Peter Smyth
Outlook ? Zack Goldberg, who played in every game for four years at this crucial spot, has graduated. Brendan Reilly returns for his senior year as a tri-captain after having played every game since the middle of his freshman year, the last two years of which he spent as Goldberg's running mate. Reilly's spot is etched in stone; the key question is who will replace Goldberg. There are any number of answers, beginning with returnee Tim Palmer or Jimmy Davis, who is healthy after two seasons and making the move to defense. Or it could be Chris Chandler, who developed into an outstanding longstick midfielder a year ago. Or it might be a newcomer like Peter Smyth. It could even be someone currently playing on the offensive side of the midfield, such as Josh Lesko, or another current longstick.
Face-Off
Starters returning ? none
Starter lost ? Alex Berg (133x256)
Other returning letterwinners ? Paul Barnes (3x9), Zach Drexler, Tim Palmer
Other letterwinners lost ? none
Newcomers ? Peter Smyth
Outlook ? Alex Berg took 256 of Princeton's 271 face-offs a year ago, which is basically 95% of them. Princeton had three players rotate during the European trip, as Paul Barnes and Tim Palmer each won 10 of 20 and Zach Drexler won 8 of 15. Freshman Peter Smyth is also a face-off man.
Longstick Midfield
Starter returning ? Charlie Kolkin (0-1-1, 27 GB)
Starter lost ? none
Other returning letterwinners ? Chris Chandler (6 GB), Peter Niehaus
Other letterwinners lost ? Andy Kittler
Newcomers ? John Cunningham
Outlook ? Charlie Kolkin is one of the best poles to play for Bill Tierney at Princeton. He has played in every game of his career, and he was the Ivy League and Division I Player of the Week after Princeton's win over Cornell a year ago. He begins his senior year as a preseason All-America. Kolkin's backup a year ago was Chris Chandler, who emerged as a great complement to Kolkin. Chandler could have that role again this year or move to shortstick, which would open the door to dynamic freshman John Cunningham.
Defense
Starters returning ? Jeremy Hirsch (started every game), Chris Peyser (started every game)
Starters lost ? Dan Cocoziello (started every game, first-team All-America)
Other returning letterwinners ? Long Ellis, Tim Novick, Derek Styer
Other letterwinners lost ? Dave Baker, Nick Hermandorfer
Newcomers ? Travis Boyce, Bill Coughlin, Mike Flanagan, Jonathan Meyers, Chad Wiedmaier
Outlook ? Where do you go to replace a first-team All-America who started every game of his four-year career? Back to where you got him from, it appears. Dan Cocoziello graduated after a brilliant career that saw him become the first defenseman to be Ivy Rookie of the Year and then earn three All-America honors. Ready to step into his spot is Chad Wiedmaier, who comes from the same Delbarton School that produced Cocoziello. Wiedmaier joins two other returnees ? tri-captain Chris Peyser, who has started every game the last two years, and Jeremy Hirsch, who started every game last year. If you're looking beyond those three, there are all kinds of options. Sophomore Long Ellis played on man-down situations last year and then was outstanding in Europe and in the fall. Wiedmaier is one of five freshmen on defense, including football/lacrosse recruit Jonathan Meyers, who is healthy after breaking his foot in the first football game in the fall.
Goalie
Starter lost ? Alex Hewit (8.51 GAA, .562 save %, started every game last three years)
Starter returning ? none
Other returning letterwinners ? Nikhil Ashra (19.00 GAA, .000 save %), Christian Blake
Other letterwinners lost ? Evan Magruder
Newcomers ? Tyler Fiorito
Outlook ? Alex Hewit graduated after having the third-best goals-against average in Division I history (and second-best in school history, as Trevor Tierney ranks second on the all-time list). Hewit also played 96% of the minutes the last three years and was a three-time All-America. His graduation must leave a huge hole in the goal, right? Wrong. Princeton has two candidates for the starting job, which may go outright to either or result in a sharing of the position. Junior Nikhil Ashra has been outstanding in the limited opportunities he's had, and in any normal circumstance, he'd be ready to assume the No. 1 spot. Princeton, though, also has the top goalie recruit and a member of the U.S. Under-19 World Championship team in Tyler Fiorito.