Princeton University Athletics
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Men's Water Polo Opens Season Friday Night on ESPNU Against Santa Clara
September 08, 2011 | Men's Water Polo
PRINCETON (9/8/11) -- The 17th-ranked Princeton men's water polo team kicks off the 2011 season this weekend as it hosts the Princeton Invitational at DeNunzio Pool. The field features 10 teams and kicks off on Friday night when Princeton plays host to 14th-ranked Santa Clara live in front of a national television audience on ESPNU.
Princeton will play five games over the three days of the tournament with a single game on Friday night and two games each on Saturday and Sunday. In addition to the TV game with Santa Clara, the Tigers will face Northern Division opponents Fordham, Harvard, Brown and MIT. The games will be Princeton's first competitive action of the 2011 season this weekend after three weeks of preseason training.
Princeton was ranked 16th in the first National Poll of the season, but fell to 17th in the latest poll while idle. Santa Clara is one of four ranked opponents that Princeton is guaranteed to play in the 2011 season. The Tigers could also face others at some of the various tournaments they will compete in.
Princeton returns four 30-plus goal scorers and three Southern honorees from last season. Tommy Donahue, Tim Wenzlau, Chris Cottrell and Mike Helou were Princeton's top-four goal scorers last season and Donahue and Cottrell received All-South honors. Sophomore Kurt Buchbinder scored 16 goals last season and was the Southern Division Rookie of the Year.
The Tigers opened the preseason with a full roster of 27 players, but have been hit by the injury bug during the first few weeks of training. Returning co-captain Jeff Cole suffered a reoccurring shoulder injury and will not be able to compete during the season, but will continue to serve as a co-captain and also as a team manager to support the Tigers from out of the water.
The Tigers open the season on Friday night against Santa Clara on ESPNU for the third straight season. Princeton hosted UCLA two years ago on TV and then faced Santa Clara on ESPNU one year ago. Princeton won that game 11-9 behind a five-goal performance from Wenzlau and 10 saves in goal from now-graduated senior Mike Merlone. Santa Clara opened its season last weekend with two losses to Pacific and Cal.
All five of Princeton's opponents this weekend have already played this season. The Tigers continue the weekend against 2-2 Fordham on Saturday morning. The day continues against 1-1 Harvard. Princeton wraps the weekend on Sunday against 1-1 Brown and 0-3 MIT.