Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
No. 11 Princeton Hosts Manhattan Tuesday Afternoon
February 27, 2012 | Men's Lacrosse
Still, even after its impressive debut and with eight more regular-season games against ranked teams still to go, Princeton isn't ready to look past any opponent.
Besides, a little history lesson might get the point across even more.
Before Manhattan, the last team to be shut out in Division I men's lacrosse - according to Christian Swezey of Inside Lacrosse, was Albany in 2010. And what happened in UA's next game? The Great Danes scored seven times in the first half and won 11-6.
As for Princeton, the Tigers couldn't asked for much more out of the opener, except for possible less wind.
Princeton scored its highest goal total in 18 games, eclipsing any game of 2011. Almost every negative stat from 2011 was reversed in the 2012 opener, including face-offs, shooting percentage and extra-man, not to mention scoring offense.
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Princeton and Manhattan meet for the third time, all in the last four seasons. In fact, Tyler Fiorito will have started in all three games in the series while Chad Wiedmaier would have started in all three had he not missed the 2010 game with a knee injury.
Princeton defeated the Jaspers 15-6 in 2009 in Princeton and 13-8 two years ago in New York City.
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Princeton averaged 7.08 goals per game, won 40.7% of its face-offs, scored on 23.9% of its extra-man opportunities, had an assist on 47% of its goals, averaged 31.9 shots per game and shot 22.2% as a team.
In Game 1 of 2012 against Hofstra, Princeton scored 12 goals, won 59.1% of its face-offs (13 of 22), scored on one of its two extra-man opportunities, had an assist on 75% of its goals (nine assists on 12 goals), took 39 shots and and shot 30.8% as a team.
Defensively, Princeton allowed six goals to Hofstra this year after allowing 11 last year. Princeton allowed 7.67 goals per game last year, eighth best in Division I, and improved that to 6.00 against Hofstra.
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Another issue in 2011 for Princeton was the inability to hold leads. In six of the eight losses, Princeton had at least a three-goal lead at one point.
In the opener against Hofstra, Princeton led 6-2 in the third quarter before Hofstra scored three straight to make it 6-5.
Princeton then finished the game on a 6-1 run. Tom Schreiber had two goals and two assists during that run, and both of his assists were to Mike MacDonald.
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Tom Schreiber was named the first Ivy League Player of the Week of 2012 after his career-high seven-point performance against Hofstra Saturday. Mike MacDonald, who scored three goals in his college debut, was named Co-Rookie of the Week with Brown's Nick Piroli, who also had three goals in his first college game.
MacDonald scored Princeton's first goal, on an assist from Schreiber. After Brown scored three quick goals to cut a 6-2 lead to 6-5, Princeton finished the game with a 6-1 run, fueled by two goals and two assists from Schreiber and two more MacDonald goals.
Schreiber assisted on two of MacDonald's three goals, and he might have had an assist on all three except that his feed on MacDonald's second was checked out of his stick and rolled through the crease, where MacDonald one-timed it into the goal.
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When Mike MacDonald scored three goals in his first game (on four shots), it marked the third straight year that Princeton had a freshman with more than one goal on opening day.
For the record, the last two - Jeff Froccaro (who had three in 2010 against Hofstra) and Tom Schreiber (who had two last year against Hofstra) - both had four goals in their second game.
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Princeton jumped seven spots in the USILA coaches' poll, going from 19th to 12th this week. The Tigers went from 15th to 11th in the Nike Inside Lacrosse media poll.
Princeton will play the teams ranked No 2 (Johns Hopkins), No. 3 (North Carolina), No. 4 North Carolina, No. 6 (Syracuse) and No. 9 (Villanova) in this week's poll, as well as No. 15 Harvard No. 17 Yale and No. 18 Penn.
After Princeton's game against Manhattan, the Tigers next five games are against ranked teams, including three against Top 10 teams (with two Top 5 teams) in a 12-day period that sees Princeton host Johns Hopkins, play North Carolina in Baltimore and then play at Villanova.
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Alex Capretta had a total of two assists for his first three years. Capretta had three assists in the 2012 opener against Hofstra.
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Princeton took 39 shots against Hofstra. Tucker Shanley, Tom Schreiber and Jeff Froccaro combined to take 26 of them.
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Jeff Froccaro leads all active Princeton players with 30 career goals and 40 career points.
Tom Schreiber is second with 19 goals and 36 points, and he leads all active players with 17 assists. Froccaro, with 10, is the only other Princeton player with double figures in career assists.
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Princeton has four preseason All-Americas.
Tom Schreiber and defenseman Chad Wiedmaier were first-team selections, while goalie Tyler Fiorito was a second-team pick.
Longstick midfielder John Cunningham was a third-team All-America.
Wiedmaier is also one of 20 candidates for the Lowe's Senior Class Award, which recognizes excellence in what is termed the 4C's of character, competition, classroom and community.
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Tyler Fiorito has started every game in goal for Princeton since the first game of his freshman year.
Only one Princeton goalie - Hall-of-Famer Scott Bacigalupo - has started every game for four years in goal for the Tigers.
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Manhattan was outshot 47-8 by Lehigh in its opener.
Sophomore goalie Rich Akapnitis did make a career-high 18 saves for the Jaspers.
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Princeton is the only Ivy League team on Manhattan's schedule, and Manhattan is the only MAAC team on Princeton's schedule.
The teams have one common opponent - Johns Hopkins. The Blue Jays are at Princeton Friday, while Manhattan travels to Hopkins Tuesday, March 6.
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What Can You Say About ...
Luke Armour #16
• missed the Hofstra game with an injury
• played in every game last year, starting seven
• was fourth on the team with 14 points (9G, 5A)
Alex Capretta #1
• had three assists against Hofstra after having two for his first three years combined
• 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
• had one caused turnover and one ground ball against Hofstra
• returned healthy this season after missing final 10.5 games last year with a torn ACL
• started first two games last year on close defense before injury against Johns Hopkins
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
• missed Hofstra game due to injury
• 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
• plays on the man-up unit
• 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
• had a ground ball and caused turnover against Hofstra
• starter at shortstick defensive midfield
• had three injuries a year ago - ankle sprain, concussion, broken arm
Tyler Fiorito #6
• had eight saves while allowing six goals against Hofstra (.571 save percentage)
• 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
• started on attack against Hofstra after playing as a midfielder first two years
• had two goals against Hofstra
• leads all active Princeton players with 30 career goals and 40 career points
• 22 of his 30 career goals have come in the second half or overtime, including both against Hofstra
Mike Grossman #8
• had a goal and assist against Hofstra
• has started on attack and midfield in his career
Will Himler #18
• had first career point with an assist against Hofstra on a goal by Tom Schreiber that snapped a three-goal Hofstra run and made it 7-5
• sophomore who can play attack or midfield
Cliff Larkin #19
• started 10 games on attack a year ago
Bobby Lucas #17
• won 10 of 16 face-offs against Hofstra and had four ground balls and a caused turnover
• playing shortstick defensive midfield
Mike McDonald #26
• named Ivy League Co-Rookie of the Week afte Week 1 win over Hofstra
• had three goals on four shots against Hofstra in first collegiate game
Brendan McGrath #26
• freshman who figures to play in the second midfield
Jonathan Meyers #28
• starter 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
• is 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
• Ivy League Player of the Week after win over Hofstra
• had a career-high seven points against the Pride (3G, 4A)
• 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 two goals against Hofstra
• 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 an extra man goal against Hofstra
• 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
Game-By-Game
HOFSTRA (W, 12-6)
GOALS - Schreiber 3, MacDonald 3, Shanley 2, Froccaro 2, Sonnenfeldt 1, Grossman 1
ASSISTS - Schreiber 4, Capretta 3, Himler 1, Grossman 1
GOALIE - Fiorito (60:00 min, 6 goals-against, 8 saves)
Career Scoring
Player G-A-Pts
10 Jeff Froccaro 30-10-40
22 Tom Schreiber 19-17-36
2 Forest Sonnenfeldt 15-1-16
47 Luke Armour 10-5-15
33 Alex Capretta 8-5-15
8 Mike Grossman 9-5-14
19 Cliff Larkin 4-7-11
7 Tucker Shanley 8-0-8
3 John Cunningham 6-2-8
14 Peter Smyth 2-4-6
26 Mike MacDonald 3-0-3
25 Mark Feild 2-1-3
29 Chris White 2-0-2
9 Chad Wiedmaier 1-1-2
18 Will Himler 0-1-1
6 Tyler Fiorito 0-1-1
47 Hunter DeButts 0-1-1
36 Derek Styer 1-0-1