Princeton University
Johns Hopkins
Players Mentioned
Men's Water Polo Splits League Games on Saturday
October 16, 2010 | Men's Water Polo
PRINCETON (10/16/10) - The 17th-ranked Princeton men's water polo team split its two league games on Saturday at DeNunzio Pool, topping Johns Hopkins 9-6 in the afternoon and falling to 18th-ranked Navy 7-6 in sudden victory overtime on Saturday night.
In the day game, Princeton won its fifth league game of the season on Saturday afternoon with a 9-6 triumph over Johns Hopkins. Tim Wenzlau's goal in the closing minute of the first half broke a tie game and put Princeton ahead for good in the win.
Goals from Tommy Donahue and Ford Spencer gave Princeton an early 2-0 lead in the opening half but Johns Hopkins answered with three straight goals to lead 3-2 midway through the second quarter. Princeton answered as Kurt Buchbinder evened the score on a counter with 3:31 left in the half and went ahead on Wenzlau's man-up goal with 38 seconds left.
Princeton extended the lead to 6-3 as Mike Helou scored out of the set and Buchbinder scored on a counter in the third quarter, but Hopkins trimmed the lead to a goal late in the quarter. Princeton opened up is lead during the final frame as Helou, Matt Hale and Billy Tifft added goals.
Mike Merlone played most of the game in goal and made six saves, while Ben Dearborn stopped two shots in three minutes of action. Princeton was four of eight with an extra man, while Johns Hopkins managed just one for six with an extra player.
Helou and Buchbinder each had two goals and an assist in the win, while Donahue had two assists to go along with a goal. Buchbinder also drew four ejections. Chris Cottrell had an assist and eight steals in the game.
In the night game, Princeton and Navy were tied 5-5 after regulation. Each team scored a man-up goal in the second overtime session to force sudden victory overtime tied at 6-6. Each team had two possessions in the third overtime period. Each goalie made a save on the first possession and on Princeton's second chance, Wenzlau rang a shot off the post. Navy countered and drew an ejection and scored on the ensuing man advantage.
Cottrell led the Tigers with two goals in the game, while Hale, Helou, Donahue and Connor Still added single goals. Merlone made 15 saves.Princeton is now 11-6 overall and 5-1 in the CWPA Southern Division, tied atop the league standings with Navy. Princeton will be back in action tomorrow at 12 noon at Bucknell.
| Princeton | 2 2 2 3 - 9 |
| Johns Hopkins | 2 1 2 1 - 6 |
Princeton Goals: Buchbinder 2, Helou 2, Donahue 1, Hale 1, Spencer 1, Tifft 1, Wenzlau 1.
Princeton Saves: Merlone (6, 28:39), Dearborn (2, 3:21).
Princeton Assists: Merlone 3, Donahue 2, Buchbinder 1, Cottrell 1, Helou 1.
| Princeton | 3 0 2 0 - 0 1 - 0 - 6 |
| Navy | 1 2 2 0 - 0 1 - 1 - 7 |
Princeton Goals: Cottrell 2, Donahue 1, Hale 1, Helou 1, Still 1.
Princeton Saves: Merlone 15.
Princeton Assists: Donahue, Parolin, Wenzlau, Tifft.