Princeton University Athletics
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Men's Water Polo Opens 2010 Season With Princeton Invitational
September 09, 2010 | Men's Water Polo
PRINCETON (9/9/10) -- The 18th-ranked Princeton men's water polo team kicks off the 2010 season this weekend as it hosts the Princeton Invitational at DeNunzio Pool. The field features eight collegiate teams and kicks off with a three-game slate on Friday.
Princeton will play twice on both Friday and Saturday. The Invitational kicks off on Friday at 12 noon when Princeton faces 17th-ranked Cal Baptist. The Tigers are back in the pool again at 6 p.m. against 13th-ranked Santa Clara in a nationally televised contest on ESPNU. On Sunday the Tigers take on Fordham at 9 a.m. and Harvard at 6 p.m. Princeton will take on NYAC on Sunday at 12 noon in an exhibition game.
Princeton will see its first competitive action of the 2010 season this weekend after three weeks of preseason training. Senior Tommy Parolin shot the video above chronicling some of Princeton's preseason training.
Princeton was ranked in a tie for 14th in the first National Poll of the season, but fell to 18th in the latest poll despite not playing a game yet this season. Cal Baptist and Santa Clara represent two of the four ranked teams the Tigers are sure to face in the 2010 season as Princeton will also face 14th-ranked Navy and 20th-ranked Bucknell a minimum of two times each, as well as several other likely opponents when the Tigers travel to the SoCal Tournament in early October.
Princeton first four opponents of the season all have at least one game under their belts. Cal Baptist opened the year last weekend with wins over Redlands and Fresno Pacific and is 2-1 this season. Princeton and Cal Baptist have split two meetings with Princeton winning in 2005 and the Lancers in 2007. Both meetings came in Riverside.
Princeton's second opponent is Santa Clara. The Broncos opened their season last weekend with a loss at Cal. Princeton is 2-2 all-time against Santa Clara, including a pair of one-goal losses to the Broncos in each of the last two seasons during the Princeton Invitational. This season marks the fourth straight season in which Santa Clara has come to DeNunzio Pool to compete in the Invitational.
The Tigers face Fordham on Saturday morning. The Rams are 1-3 overall after playing last weekend at the Navy Labor Day Open. Fordham defeated George Washington and the Diablo Valley Club in an exhibition game. Princeton is a perfect 6-0 against the Rams, including a 13-9 win at home last season during the ECAC Championship.
Princeton's final opponent of the weekend is Harvard, which is 1-1 after competing last weekend at the MIT Invitational. The Crimson topped Cal Lutheran and fell to St. Francis. Harvard also dropped an exhibition game to the Boston Metro Elite Club. Princeton is 15-3 all-time against Harvard but hasn't played the Crimson since a 10-8 win during the 2007 ECAC Championships.