Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Princeton Welcomes Hofstra To Sherrerd Field To Open 2012 Season
February 23, 2012 | Men's Lacrosse
Perhaps when the old turf went, some of the bad vibes of the 2011 Princeton men's lacrosse season went with it.
Princeton was a team dominated by injuries in 2011, as no fewer than 16 players were sidelined at various points and five for the entire year. Nick Fernandez, the shortstick defensive midfielder, exemplified the story of the year with a concussion, ankle sprain and broken arm, all of which he came back from to play again.
The 2012 season begins with the same opponent, Hofstra, that Princeton began 2011 with, and that was a game that highlighted Princeton's other big issue from last year's 4-8 season: the inability to hold leads.
Princeton raced out to an early lead of 4-1 against the Pride, only to lose that game 11-9. In all, Princeton lost eight times in 2011, and in six of those eight games, Princeton had at least a three-goal lead at one point.
The season ended in simiarly excruciating fashion, as a five-goal lead got away from the Tigers in a 9-7 loss to Cornell.
Princeton starts fresh in 2012, in more ways than just its home turf.
While the Tigers had several players nicked up in the preseason, there are no serious, season-ending injuries.
And, best of all, the record has gone back to 0-0.
* * *
Princeton and Hofstra meet for the 26th time. The Pride leads the series 13-12, and the teams are 4-4 in the last eight meetings.
Of the first 25 meetings, 11 have come in either the first or last game of the regular season for the Tigers.
Chris Bates is in his third year as Princeton head coach, and this will be the third straight year that the Tigers open with the Pride.
Princeton played Hofstra in its season opener for four straight years from 1984-87 and then met in the regular-season finale each year from 1988-91.
The teams did not play in 1992 but did play in the final game of the 1993 regular season. The series did not resume until 2000, but the teams have played every year since.
The other four games in the series were played from 1972-75, when Hofstra went 3-1.
* * *
Hofstra defeated Princeton 11-9 last year on opening day for the Tigers in Hempstead.
Of the nine goals Princeton scored, eight were scored by players who will be playing this year for the team: Forest Sonnenfeldt had three, Tom Schreiber had two, Jeff Frocaro had two, Mark Feild had one.
Of the 11 goals scored by Hofstra, 10 were scored by players who graduated.
* * *
Princeton had one player start all 12 games last year on offense, and that as midfielder Jeff Froccaro.
Princeton had 10 players start at least one game on offense, and seven of those players return this year: Froccaro, Forest Sonnenfeldt, Cliff Larkin, Tom Schreiber, Mike Grossman, Luke Armour and Tucker Shanley.
Chris McBride, Jack McBride and Tyler Moni have all graduated.
* * *
Princeton had four players named preseason All-Americas by Inside Lacrosse.
Chad Wiedmaier (defense) and Tom Schreiber (midfield) were first-team selections. Goalie Tyler Fiorito was a second-team selection, and longstick midfielder John Cunningham was named to the third team.
Wiedmaier was the No. 7 pick in the Major League Lacrosse draft, chosen by the Hamilton Nationals. Fiorito was the No. 10 pick, selected by the Chesapeake Bayhawks.
John Cunningham, chosen in the six round by Denver, was the 46th pick.
* * *
Tyler Fiorito has a 12.00 goals-against average and .516 save percentage in his three games against Hofstra.
Against all other opponents, he has a 7.62 goals-against average and .594 save percentage against all other opponents.
Fiorito's goals-against average for his career is higher against Hofstra than against any other team.
* * *
Rob Castelo returns on defense after starting the first two games last year and then tearing his ACL in the second quarter against Johns Hopkins, ending his 2011 season.
Castelo returns alongside returning starters Tyler Fiorito in goal, Chad Wiedmaier and Jonathan Meyers on defense and John Cunningham as the longstick midfielder.
Princeton also returns backup longstick midfielder Derick Raabe, who also started at times last year on close defense, and shortstick defensive midfielders Nick Fernandez, Jack Strabo, Bobby Lucas, Chris White and Peter Smythe.
Princeton allowed 7.67 goals per game, ranking eighth in Division I.
And who ranked first in Division I in scoring defense? Hofstra, at 6.56 goals per game.
* * *
Hofstra opened the 2012 season with an 11-9 win over Sacred Heart last Saturday.
Sophomore Lance Yapor, who had two goals all of last year, had four in the opener.
Andrew Gvozden made 11 saves for the Pride.
* * *
The 2012 Princeton-Hofstra game will mark the first time in Princeton lacrosse history that the two goalies - Princeton's Tyler Fiorito and Hofstra's Andrew Gvozden - will be starting against each other for the fourth straight year.
* * *
The Princeton-Hofstra game features two of the 20 candidates for the Lowe's Senior Class Award, which honors excellence in what is terms "the four C's" of community, classroom, competitiion and character.
Princeton defenseman Chad Wiedmaier and Hofstra goalie Andrew Gvozden were selected to the final 20 candidates earlier this month.
The list of 20 will be cut in half in midseason, and the final 10 will be placed on a national ballot.The winner will be honored at the Final Four.
* * *
Hofstra is ranked 13th in the Nike Inside Lacrosse media poll and 14th in the USILA coaches' poll.
Of Princeton's 13 regular-season opponents, nine are currently ranked in the Top 20 in both polls.
Going by the media poll, Princeton plays three teams in the top five (No. 2 Johns Hopkins, No. 3 Cornell, No. 5 North Carolina), five in the top nine (those three plus No. 6 Syracuse and No. 9 Villanova) and No. 13 Hofstra, No. 15 Harvard, No. 17 Penn and No. 18 Yale
* * *.
What Can You Say About ...
Luke Armour #16
• played in every game last year, starting seven
• was fourth on the team with 14 points (9G, 5A)
Alex Capretta #1
• can play attack or midfield and figures to start at one this year
• played in 10 games last year
• had career-high three goals against Harvard
Rob Castelo #4
• back healthy this season after missing final 10.5 games last year with a torn ACL
• started first two games on close defense
• suffered a torn ACL in the second quarter of the win over Johns Hopkins and will miss the rest of the season
• Hopkins did not score its first goal of the game until the continuation of the possession when Castelo was hurt
• had one caused turnover and one ground ball against Hofstra
John Cunningham #3
• team captain for the second straight year
• preseason third-team All-America selection by Inside Lacrosse for the second straight year
• 2011 second-team All-Ivy League
• 2010 honorable mention All-Ivy League selection
• selected by the Denver Outlaws in the Major League Lacrosse draft with the 46th pick
• has six career goals and eight career points
• tied for second on the team in caused turnovers a year ago
Hunter DeButts #47
• could play attack or midfield
• had first extended playing time of his career last year in the game against Syracuse
• had first career point with an assist against the Orange
Mark Feild #25
• played on the man-up unit a year ago
• had a goal and assist against Hofstra
• two points against Hofstra were the first of his career
• was injured most of his first two seasons
Nick Fernandez #24
• starter at shortstick defensive midfield
• had three injuries a year ago - ankle sprain, concussion, broken arm
Tyler Fiorito #6
• has started every game the last three years
• preseason second-team All-America for the second straight year
• unanimous first-team All-Ivy League and third-team All-America last year
• second in Division I in save percentage and eight in goals-against as a junior
• selected 10th in the Major League Lacrosse draft (Chesapeake Bayhawks)
• first-team All-Ivy and second-team All-America as a sophomore
• honorable mention All-America as a freshman
Mike Flanagan #34
• started two games last year on close defense
• has played extensively on extra man
Jeff Froccaro #18
• leads all active Princeton players with 28 career goals and 38 career points
• 20 of his 28 career goals have come in the second half or overtime
• has five goals in two games against Hofstra
Mike Grossman #8
• has started on attack and midfield in his career
Will Himler #18
• sophomore who can play attack or midfield
Cliff Larkin #19
• started 10 games on attack a year ago
Bobby Lucas #17
• playing shortstick defensive midfield
• also faces off
Mike McDonald #26
• freshman who figures to start on attack
Brendan McGrath #26
• freshman who figures to play in the second midfield
Jonathan Meyers #28
• will start on defense
• missed three games last year due to injury
• has started on defense and at longstick midfield
• started six games a year ago
Kip Orban #13
• freshman playing in the second midfield
• had a goal last week against Cortland in the scrimmage
Derick Raabe #31
• started two games at close defense last year
• has primarily played longstick midfield
• figures to be the No. 2 LSM behind John Cunningham
Tom Schreiber #22
• preseason first-team All-America
• 2011 Ivy League Rookie of the Year
• first-team All-Ivy League selection
• led team in goals and assists last year (first player to do so since Justin Tortolani in 1990)
• father Doug, who played at Maryland and won an NCAA title there in 1973 and then the 1974 World Championship with the U.S., is a member of the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame
Tucker Shanley #7
• starting on first midfield
• had six goals a year ago
• had two goals, including the game-winner in the fourth overtime, against Brown last year
Peter Smyth #14
• one of top shortstick defensive middies
• will also face-off
Forest Sonnenfeldt #2
• had 10 goals a year ago
• could play attack or midfield
Jack Strabo #35
• first-line shortstick defensive middie
Chris White #29
• moved from offense to defensive middie a year ago and will play there again this year
Chad Wiedmaier #9
• No. 7 pick in the MLL draft (Hamilton Nationals)
• preseason first-team All-America
• three-time first-team All-Ivy League selection (no Princeton player and only one Ivy League player have ever been four-time first-team All-Ivy)
• two-time second-team All-America; third-team All-America last year
• second on the team in caused turnovers a year ago
Career Scoring
Player G-A-Pts
10 Jeff Froccaro 28-10-38
22 Tom Schreiber 16-13-29
2 Forest Sonnenfeldt 14-1-15
47 Luke Armour 10-5-15
8 Mike Grossman 8-4-12
19 Cliff Larkin 4-7-11
1 Alex Capretta 8-2-10
3 John Cunningham 6-2-8
26 Peter Smyth 2-4-6
7 Tucker Shanley 6-0-6
25 Mark Feild 2-1-3
29 Chris White 2-0-2
9 Chad Wiedmaier 1-1-2
41 Long Ellis 1-1-2
6 Tyler Fiorito 0-1-1
47 Hunter DeButts 0-1-1
36 Derek Styer 1-0-1