Princeton University
Fordham
Players Mentioned
Men's Water Polo Tops Fordham and Brown to Advance to ECAC Title Game
September 19, 2009 | Men's Water Polo
PRINCETON (9/19/09) - The Princeton men's water polo team picked up a pair of wins on Saturday to advance to Sunday's ECAC Championship game against Navy. Princeton defeated Fordham 13-9 in the quarterfinals and topped Brown 10-8 in the semifinals.
The day didn't start out exactly as planned as Fordham raced to a 3-0 lead to begin the opening game. Princeton countered with four unanswered goals to lead after a quarter and never trailed again in the 13-9 win. Senior Douglas Wigley had four goals, two coming with a man-advantage, and senior Mark Zalewski and junior Jeff Cole both added a pair of goals.
Senior Scottie Hvidt made eight saves in the win as Princeton went 4 for 8 with a man-advantage and kept Fordham scoreless in six extra-man chances.
Princeton 4 2 4 3 - 13
Fordham 3 1 2 3 - 9
Princeton Goals: Wigley 4, Cole 2, Zalewski 2, Helou 1, Hudnall 1, Parolin 1, Vreeland 1, Wenzlau 1
Princeton Saves: Hvidt 8
Princeton 6-5: 4 for 8 (Wigley 2, Hudnall, Vreeland)
Fordham 6-5: 0 for 6
The win put Princeton into a semifinal match-up with Brown in which the Tigers avenged a last-second loss to the Bears a week ago. Princeton raced to a 4-0 lead in the game before Brown got on the scoreboard. The Tigers led 6-3 at the half and maintained the margin from then on.
Cole and Zalewski had two goals each, while six others scored in the game. Junior Mike Merlone had eight saves in the cage as Princeton went 1 for 2 with the man advantage.
Princeton 4 2 4 0 - 10
Brown 2 1 3 2 - 8
Princeton Goals: Cole 2, Zalewski 2, de L'Arbre 1, Helou 1, Horstmeyer 1, Parolin 1, Vreeland 1, Wigley 1
Princeton Saves: Merlone 8
Princeton 6-5: 1 for 2
Brown 6-5: 2 for 5
Princeton moved to 4-3 with the wins and carries a three-game win streak into Sunday's game with Navy. The game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Complete ECAC results from Saturday:
Brown 8, MIT 4
Princeton 13, Fordham 9
Navy 18, George Washington 3
Johns Hopkins 11, Bucknell 10
Fordham 8, Harvard 4
George Washington 17, Connecticut College 7
Princeton 10, Brown 8
Navy 14, Johns Hopkins 7
Fordham 10, MIT 4
Bucknell 15, George Washington 7
Sunday's ECAC Schedule:
9:30 a.m. - Connecticut College vs. Harvard (9th place)11 a.m. - MIT vs. George Washington (7th place)
12:30 p.m. - Fordham vs. Bucknell (5th place)
2 p.m. - Johns Hopkins vs. Brown (3rd place)
3:30 p.m. - Navy vs. Princeton (1st place)