Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
No. 4/5 Princeton Opens Ivy Schedule Against Penn
March 18, 2010 | Men's Lacrosse
Those among the hearty crowd of 354 who were at Class of 1952 Stadium for last Saturday's game against UMBC who are back for today's game against Penn will be forgiven for wondering if they're in the same place.
Last week at this time, the entire area was under siege from a storm that dumped six inches of rain in Princeton while badgering it with 60 mile per hour winds. Anyone who tried to leave after the game will know that it wasn't easy.
This week, the weather forecast is for about as perfect a day as possible, with temperatures near 70 and no chance of rain.
If it seems like a different world from the one in the rain and wind of a week ago, well, much has happened for these teams in the interim.
Princeton and Penn both played at undefeated ACC schools during the week, and both came away with losses that actually don't look too bad.
Penn played at Maryland Monday and lost to the Terps, ranked fourth in one poll and fifth in the other, by a 10-7 score. The Quakers trailed by one midway through the fourth quarter.
Princeton, ranked fifth in the poll in which Maryland is fourth and fourth in the one where Maryland is fifth, lost 12-11 at No. 2/3 North Carolina Tuesday night.
Princeton's trailed by five on three occassions against the Tar Heels, only to rally to tie it at 10-10 in the fourth before falling.
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Princeton and Penn are playing their Ivy League openers. In fact, Penn's remaining regular-season schedule consists of its six Ivy League games.
As for Princeton, the Tigers have eight regular-season games left: the six Ivy games, No. 2/3 Syracuse and longtime rival Rutgers.
Because of the reshaped Ivy League schedule due to the Ivy League tournament, Princeton and Penn are playing on a Saturday instead of playing a midweek game.
* * *
Princeton defeated Penn 10-9 last year on Tommy Davis' goal assisted by Jack McBride 1:30 into overtime.
Princeton has defeated Penn 20 straight times and leads the all-time series 61-16.
Justin Lynch won 15 of 23 face-offs in the game a year ago as Penn dominated possession. Lynch has won better than 55% of his face-offs this year (79 for 143).
Princeton has used two freshmen, Bobby Lucas and Jeff Froccaro, to take most of its face-offs the last three games, and both are over 50%.
Lucas did not face-off in the first two games but has won 19 of 31 since. Froccaro is 30 for 59 for the year.
* * *
Penn and Princeton feature the reigning Ivy League Player and Rookie of the Week, and both had big midweek games.
Rob McMullen won the Player of the Week award after scoring four goals, including the game-winner late in the fourth quarter, in Penn's 8-7 win over Villanova last week. He scored twice against Maryland.
Mike Chanenchuk won the Rookie of the Week award after scoring six goals in wins over Manhattan and UMBC.
Chanenchuk then scored three more times against North Carolina, including Princeton's ninth and 10th goals as the Tigers tied it at 10-10 in the fourth.
Chanenchuk leads Princeton with 11 goals; McMullen leads Penn with 14.
* * *
Mike Chanenchuk has 11 goals in five games and is the fastest Princeton freshman ever to reach double figures.
The record for goals by a Princeton freshman is 25, set by B.J. Prager in 1999. The most goals ever scored by a Princeton freshman middie is 23, by Jesse Hubbard in 1995. Hubbard, who is one of the great attackman in lacrosse history and who holds the Princeton career record with 163 goals, played middie his freshman year.
* * *
John Cunningham had a huge game against North Carolina. Cunningham scored Princeton's first goal of the game on a fastbreak and hit the pipe on another shot later in the game.
He also picked up 10 ground balls and had a caused turnover.
Single-game ground ball records are not available for Princeton lacrosse, though 10 has to be close, if not the actual record.
* * *
John Cunningham's goal against UNC was assisted by Jeremy Hirsch, a rare longstick-to-longstick goal.
How rare? Well, in Bill Tierney's 22 years as Princeton head coach, it only happened once. And who scored that goal? Right, John Cunningham, who did it last year off an assist from Chad Wiedmaier.
Speaking of Tierney, he won his final 19 games against Penn as Tiger head coach, but Penn was able to defeat Tierney's new team, Denver, 11-7 in Colorado earlier this month.
* * *
Of the top 12 scoring offense teams for Division I, four are Ivy League schools.
Princeton is tied for 10th in scoring offense with Harvard at 12.4 goals per game, and those two are tied for second in the league. Brown is tied for fourth in Division I with 14.3, while Yale is 12th at 12.3.
Penn, which averages exactly 10.0 goals per game, is tied for 30th.
* * *
North Carolina was second in Division I in scoring defense at 5.45 goals per game allowed prior to the Princeton game.
The Tigers more than doubled that total in the 12-11 loss. In fact, Princeton nearly reached UNC's average allowed in the 13-minute stretch of the third and fourth quarters that saw the Tigers go on a 5-0 run to tie the game at 10-10.
* * *
Through five games, Princeton has two players who have at least one goal in every game, and they share the same last night.
Jack McBride and Chris McBride each has at least one in every game. Jack McBride has scored at least one goal in 30 of 33 career games.
* * *
Mike Murphy went from being the head coach at Swarthmore to Penn prior to this season, after Brian Voelker left to become the head coach at Drexel.
Voelker, of course, replaced Chris Bates, who left Drexel after 10 years to take over at Princeton.
* * *
Princeton is playing its fifth game in 15 days. The Tigers have played Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday since the Johns Hopkins game.
Princeton's only remaining midweek game is against Rutgers on April 13, the next home game.
Between now and then, Princeton will play one game away (at Yale next week) and then two games at NFL Stadiums.
Princeton will take on Brown in the New England Lacrosse Challenge on April 3 at Gillette Stadium, home of the Patriots, and then help open the new Meadowlands Stadium a week later against Syracuse as part of the Konica Minolta Big City Classic.
* * *
Princeton has played five games this season, and both teams have reached double figures in three of them.
Prior to this year, both teams reached double figures in three of Princeton's previous 77 games, dating to 2004.
* * *
Princeton has won 20 straight games against Penn. Prior to that, Penn defeated Princeton seven straight times.
Since 2005, Princeton has defeated Penn by nine goals in each of the two home games in the series and by one, one and five in the three games at Penn. Both one-goal games went to overtime.
* * *
What Can You Say About ...
Nikhil Ashra #23
• No. 2 goalie currently recovering from concussion
• has been backup to Alex Hewit for first two years and now Tyler Fiorito last year and this year; each of first three years, starting goalie has been an All-America
• has a a career .568 save percentage and 7.67 goals-against average
Paul Barnes #31
• scored a goal against Manhattan and UMBC
• has faced-off once this season but is playing regularly in the midfield
• won 145 of 299 face-offs a year ago
• scored four goals off of face-offs in 2009; Princeton had not gotten a goal from its face-off specialist since 2004 prior to that
Christian Blake #32
• backup goalie with Nikhil Ashra's injury
• played 9:24 of fourth quarter against Manhattan
• has played 13:18 in his career, with a .429 save percentage
Chris Chandler #16
• starting at shortstick defensive middie
• had one caused turnover against Hofstra, Manhattan and UMBC
• played in three games last year as longstick middie after playing in every game sophomore year
Mike Chanenchuk #13
• leads team in goals with 11
• fastest Princeton freshman ever to 10 goals
• tied for second on the team with 14 points
• had three goals against North Carolina, including scoring the team's ninth and 10th goals to tie it 10-10 in the fourth
• Ivy League Rookie of the Week after scoring six goals in wins over Manhattan and UMBC
• had five goals against Manhattan despite playing only 2.5 quarters
• scored on his first five shots against Manhattan
• five goals was second-highest single-game total ever by a Princeton freshman, behind only Jack McBride's six against Penn two years ago
• had a goal against UMBC
• had two assists against Hopkins
• had two goals and an assist against Hofstra
• defered last year after suffering a back injury and is now a freshman
• was ranked 18th by Inside Lacrosse in its list of top Division I freshmen
John Cunningham #3
• starting on defense, but can also play considerably at longstick midfield
• leads team with 24 ground balls
• had a goal, a caused turnover and 10 ground balls against North Carolina
• goal against UNC was assisted by Jeremy Hirsch; both of Cunningham's career goals have been assisted by a longstick, and they are the only two longstick-to-longstick goals in at least the last 23 years
• had two caused turnovers and three ground balls against UMBC
• helped hold Johns Hopkins All-America middie Michael Kimmel to one goal
• had six ground balls and two caused turnovers against Hofstra
• had 13 caused turnovers and 23 ground balls a year ago despite missing six games with a broken jaw
Jimmy Davis #5
• starting shortstick defensive midfielder
• had an assist, a caused turnover and three ground balls against Hofstra
• played in every game as third shortstick a year ago, behind graduated Josh Lesko and Brendan Reilly
• had four caused turnovers a year ago
• younger brother of Tommy Davis, who graduated last year after starting for four years on attack
Long Ellis #41
• leads team with seven caused turnovers
• held All-America attackmen Billy Bitter (North Carolina) and Stephen Boyle (Johns Hopkins) to one goal each
• had two caused turnovers and three ground balls against Hofstra
• had three caused turnovers against Manhattan
• listed as starter on defense, but can play defense or longstick midfield or even with a shortstick
Rob Engelke #22
• starting on attack
• leads team with 10 assists and 16 points
• had three goals against Carolina to tie career high
• had two goals and an assist against UMBC
• had three assists against Hopkins
• had a goal and four assists against Hofstra
• had two assists against Manhattan
• had four assists all of last year and nine assists for his career prior to this season
• five points against Hofstra tied career high, set last year against Manhattan
• had made one career start prior to this season but played considerably every year as fourth attackman and on extra man unit
• has 23 career goals on 46 career shots and six goals on 12 shots this season
• had nine goals on 15 shots last year for .600 shooting percentage, best on team for players with more than one shot
Tyler Fiorito #6
• preseason second-team All-America by Inside Lacrosse
• a Tewaaraton Trophy nominee
• made 11 saves while allowing five goals against UMBC
• had eight saves while allowing four goals against Manhattan
• honorable mention All-America and second-team All-IvyLeague last year as a freshman
• started every game of his career
• ranked fourth in Division I in goals-against (7.40) and 11th in Division I in save percentage (.587) a year ago
• made 15 saves against Syracuse in 12-8 win to earn Division I Player of the Week honors from Inside Lacrosse
• member of United States U19 team that won 2008 World Championship in Vancouver
Jeff Froccaro #18
• had eight goals on 11 shots (team-best .727 shooting percentage)
• Ivy League Rookie of the Week each of first two weeks of the season
• seven goals is the most by a Princeton freshman in his first two games; previously, no freshman had scored more than three in his first two games
• had four goals on six shots against Hopkins, including back-to-back goals to make it 10-8 Princeton in the fourth
• also won 10 of 17 face-offs, including the one to start OT
• scored three goals on three shots against Hofstra in first college game
• six of his seven goals have come in the second half
• first goal against Hofstra gave Princeton lead for good in third quarter; last two goals both came in fourth quarter after Hofstra had twice cut Princeton's lead to one
• came back from torn ACL as a high school sophomore and then in the final game of his high school career to play in the season opener
Mike Grossman #8
• first-line midfielder
• scored first career goal in win over Hofstra
• ankle injury wiped out almost entire freshman year
• was the No. 38-ranked recruit by Inside Lacrosse a year ago
Jeremy Hirsch #37
• team captain
• preseason honorable mention All-America
• had first career point when he assisted on John Cunningham's goal against North Carolina
• started every game but one since the start of sophomore year and has played in every game but one in his career
Bobby Lucas #17
• has won 19 of 31 face-offs since not playing in first two games
• won 9 of 16 face-offs against UMBC, including winning first seven
• won 5 of 6 against Manhattan
• won 5 of 9 against North Carolina
Scott MacKenzie #2
• a Tewaaraton Trophy nominee
• scored overtime goal to defeat Hopkins; goal came after he missed all six of his shots in regulation
• scored a goal against Hofstra and had two assists against North Carolina
• preseason honorable mention All-America by Inside Lacrosse
• only returning midfield starter
• had 29 points a year ago; every other current middie on the team had a combined career total of 18 prior to this season
Chris McBride #15
• has at least one goal in all five games
• had two goals and an assist against North Carolina
• had a goal and two assists against Hopkins
• had four goals against Hofstra, tying career high set last year against Albany
• had four goals on six shots and scored one goal in every quarter against Hofstra
• had a goal and assist against UMBC
• had one goal against Manhattan
• had 18 goals and six assists in first year as a starter on attack
• moved from midfield to starting on attack alongside cousin Jack McBride last year
• his father is Jack McBride's father's brother; his mother is Jack McBride's mother's first cousin
Jack McBride #14
• a preseason first-team All-America by Inside Lacrosse
• a Tewaaraton Trophy nominee
• second-team All-America a year ago
• first-team All-Ivy League selection
• second for team lead with 10 goals
• tied for second on the team with 14 points
• ranks 27th all-time at Princeton with 64 career goals
• has 11 career assists, two of which have come in overtime
• had three goals and then assisted on game-winner in overtime against Hopkins
• had two goals and an assist against North Carolina, Hofstra and UMBC
• had a goal against Manhattan
• one of four Princeton players (B.J. Prager, Sean Hartofilis, Jason Doneger) in the last 10 years to reach 50 goals by the end of sophomore year
• led team with 35 goals last year
• led team in scoring eight times in 16 games last year
• 2008 Ivy League Rookie of the Year
• member of United States U19 team that won 2008 World Championship in Vancouver
• his father is Chris McBride's father's brother; his mother is Chris McBride's mother's first cousin
Jonathan Meyers #28
• started on defense against Hofstra and longstick midfield since
• had a caused turnover in each of the first four games
• gave up football to concentrate on lacrosse
• recruited for football by schools such as Florida, Michigan and Oklahoma; plays football and lacrosse at Princeton
Tyler Moni #27
• playing on second midfield group
• had two goals in each of first two games, against Hofstra and Hopkins
• had one goal against Manhattan and UMBC
• had two career goals prior to this season
• had two goals and an assist last year
Peter Smyth #26
• has won 14 of 34 face-offs and played shortstick D middie
• had first career points with a goal and assist against Hofstra
• won three of eight face-offs against Hopkins while playing considerably as shortstick D middie
• father Francis played lacrosse at Princeton, graduating in 1982
Chad Wiedmaier #9
• preseason first-team All-America by Inside Lacrosse
• is out until at least midseason after having knee surgery in the fall
• second-team All-America as a freshman
• first-team All-Ivy League as a freshman
• first freshman defenseman and third freshman ever to be first-team All-Ivy at Princeton (Scott Bacigalupo, B.J. Prager)
• ranked as No. 2 freshman in Division I by Inside Lacrosse
Game-By-Game
HOFSTRA (W, 17-14)
GOALS - C. McBride 4, Froccaro 3, J. McBride 2, Chanenchuk 2, Moni 2, MacKenzie 1, Smyth 1, Grossman 1, Engelke 1
ASSISTS - Engelke 4, Chanencuk 1, J. McBride 1, Davis 1, Smyth 1
GOALIE - Fiorito (60:00 min, 14 goals-against, 11 saves)
JOHNS HOPKINS (W, 11-10, OT)
GOALS - Froccaro 4, J. McBride 3, Moni 2, MacKenzie 1, C. McBride 1
ASSISTS - Engelke 3, Chanencuk 2, C. McBride 2, J. McBride 1
GOALIE - Fiorito (60:59 min, 10 goals-against, 8 saves)
MANHATTAN (W, 13-8)
GOALS - Chanenchuk 5, J. McBride 1, C. McBride 1, Barnes 1, Froccaro 1, Shanley 1, Styer 1, Moni 1, Sonnenfeldt 1
ASSISTS - Engelke 2, MacKenzie 1
GOALIE - Fiorito (49:00 min, 4 goals-against, 8 saves), Blake (9:24, 3 goals-against, 1 save), Larrabee (1:36, 1 goal-against, no saves)
UMBC (W, 10-5)
GOALS - J. McBride 2, MacKenzie 2, Engelke 2, C. McBride 1, Barnes 1, Chanenchuk 1, Moni 1
ASSISTS - Engelke 1, J. McBride 1, C. McBride 1
GOALIE - Fiorito (60:00 min, 5 goals-against, 11 saves)
NORTH CAROLINA (L, 12-11)
GOALS - Chanenchuk 3, Engelke 3, J. McBride 2, C. McBride 2, Cunningham 1
ASSISTS - MacKenzie 2, Hirsch 1, J. McBride 1, C. McBride 1
GOALIE - Fiorito (60:00 min, 12 goals-against, 4 saves)
Career Scoring
Player G-A-Pts
14 Jack McBride 64-13-77
2 Scott MacKenzie 21-30-51
22 Rob Engelke 23-19-42
3 Chris McBride 29-12-41
13 Mike Chanenchuk 11-3-14
27 Tyler Moni 8-1-9
18 Jeff Froccaro 8-0-8
31 Paul Barnes 5-0-5
11 Ryan Morrell 2-1-3
21 Connor Reilly 2-1-3
3 John Cunningham 2-1-3
26 Peter Smyth 1-1-2
9 Chad Wiedmaier 1-1-2
5 Jimmy Davis 0-2-2
8 Mike Grossman 1-0-1
47 Cliff Larkin 1-0-1
1 Alex Capretta 1-0-1
24 David Marshall 0-1-1
7 Tucker Shanley 1-0-1
36 Derek Styer 1-0-1
43 Forest Sonnenfeldt 1-0-1
37 Jeremy Hirsch 0-1-1
PRINCETON
PROBABLE LINEUP
Attack
14 Jack McBride Jr.. 10-4-14
22 Rob Engelke Sr. 6-10-16
15 Chris McBride Jr. 9-4-13
First Midfield
2 Scott MacKenzie Sr. 4-3-7
8 Mike Grossman So. 1-0-1
13 Mike Chanenchuk Fr. 11-3-14
Second Midfield
27 Tyler Moni Jr. 6-0-6
18 Jeff Froccaro Fr. 8-0-8
29 Chris White Fr. 0-0-0
Third Midfield
31 Paul Barnes Sr. 2-0-2
1 Alex Capretta So. 0-0-0
7 Tucker Shanley Fr. 1-0-1
Longstick Midfielder
28 Jonathan Meyers So. 9 GB, 4CT
36 Derek Styer Jr. 1G, 1GB
Shortstick Defensive Midfielder
16 Chris Chandler Sr. 3 CT
5 Jimmy Davis Sr. 1A,1 CT,7GB
26 Peter Smyth So. 1-1-2, 5GB
Face-Off
17 Bobby Lucas Fr. 19x31
26 Peter Smyth So. 14x34
18 Jeff Froccaro Fr. 30x59
Defense
3 John Cunningham So. 1G, 5 CT, 24 GB
37 Jeremy Hirsch Sr. 1A, 3 CT, 4 GB
41 Long Ellis Jr. 7 CT, 8 GB
Goal
6 Tyler Fiorito So. 9.31 GAA
.483 S%
Princeton vs. Penn
The site Class of 1952 Stadium • Princeton N.J.
The date Saturday, March 20, 2010 • 1 p.m.
Radio/TV goprincetontigers.com/Verizon Fios 1
The records Princeton: 4-1; Penn: 4-3
The rankings Princeton: No. 4 Inside Lacrosse/No. 5 USILA
Penn: unranked
The coaches Princeton: Chris Bates
first season at Princeton, 4-1/11th season overall, 74-72
Penn: Mike Murphy
first season at Penn, 4-3
The series Princeton leads 61-16
Last meeting Princeton defeated Penn 10-9 (OT) • March 20, 1999