Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
No. 14 Princeton Heads To No. 10 Villanova For Tuesday Night Lacrosse
March 12, 2012 | Men's Lacrosse
Sometimes you rocket shot after shot from inside the ball and can't get the one you need past the goalie.
The difference between the experience of the Princeton men's lacrosse team Saturday in the Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic against North Carolina and the experience of the Villanova men's lacrosse team Saturday at Franklin Field against Penn were radically different - and at the same time very subtle.
Villanova's Max Hart rolled a shot into the Penn goal from about five yards outside the box that hit the net with one second left to give the Wildcats an 8-7 win over the Quakers.
Princeton, on the other hand, fired shot after shot at North Carolina goalie Stephen Restivo, only to see them go wide or have them be saved, in a 9-8 loss to the Tar Heels Saturday.
On the bright side for Princeton, there is the quick turnaround from Saturday for the midweek game at Villanova.
This will be Princeton's third straight game against a team ranked in the Top 10.
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Princeton and Villanova meet for the fifth time.
The first meeting came during the 1987 season, when Princeton defeated Villanova - and defenseman Mike Corrado - 6-4. The Tigers won in 1988 and 1989, and then the teams didn't meet until last year, when the Wildcats won 10-9 at Class of 1952 Stadium.
The head coaches in this game both played against the other team, as Corrado played against Princeton and Chris Bates played against Villanova while at Dartmouth.
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Princeton led 3-0 after the first quarter of last year's game against Villanova, but the Wildcats outscored Princeton 7-0 in the second and third quarters to take control. Princeton's Cliff Larkin scored twice 13 seconds apart late in the fourth quarter to make it a one-goal game with 13 seconds left, but Princeton would turn it over after winning the face-off.
Villanova's Brian Karalunas had eight caused turnovers in the game.
Larkin had three for the night for Princeton. Jack Rice, who leads Villanova with 14 goals this year, had four against Princeton last year.
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Villanova ranks sixth in Division I in extra-man percentage, having scored 15 extra-man goals in 26 opportunities (57.7%). For the record, Loyola leads Division I at 73.3% (11 for 15).
Villanova's percentage may rank sixth, but the Wildcats are tied with Colgate for the most extra-man goals in Division I with those 15.
At the other end of the spectrum is Princeton's man-down defense, which is tied for first in Division I in fewest extra-man goals allowed, with just one (by Manhattan's Brian McGrath).
Princeton ranks third in percentage, having allowed just the one extra-man goal in eight chances. A year ago, Princeton allowed teams to convert on 34.1% of their chances.
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Princeton outshot North Carolina 43-22, but 16 saves from Steven Restivo were the difference in the Tar Heels' 9-8 win. So was the fact that Carolina constantly played from ahead, with four different two-goal leads.
Princeton won its first two games and never trailed in either.
Against Hofstra, Princeton scored 3:32 into the game and led for the remaining 56:28. Against Manhattan, Princeton scored 1:46 into the game and led for the remaining 58:14.
Conversely, Princeton's only lead against Hopkins was 1-0, and that lasted for 1:23 before the Blue Jays tied it. Princeton would trail for the final 51:54. Princeton led North Carolina only once, at 2-1, and that lead lasted for 7:34 before the Heels tied it at 2-2. Princeton would never lead again, though it was tied twice (6-6, 8-8).
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Chris Bates is 6-5 all-time against Villanova as a head coach.
Bates went 6-4 against the Wildcats while at Drexel, and he is 0-1 since coming to Princeton.
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Villanova is Princeton's second-straight opponent whose previous game was against Penn.
North Carolina fell to the Quakers 10-6 before playing Princeton last Saturday. Villanova played Penn Saturday and won 8-7.
Princeton opens the Ivy League season by hosting Penn Saturday.
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Despite being four games into his sophomore year, Tom Schreiber leads all active Princeton players with 23 career assists and 47 career points and is second in goals behind Jeff Froccaro, who has 33 to Schreiber's 24.
How does this compare historically?
Well, four games into his sophomore year, Jesse Hubbard (who played middie as a freshman and attack from then on) had 37 goals and six assists, for 43 career points.
Josh Sims, as good a middie has Princeton has had in the last 25 years, had 14 goals and six assists after the fourth game of his sophomore year.
Ryan Boyle had 21 goals and 37 assists through the fourth game of his sophomore year.
Hubbard, Sims and Boyle all played 15 games as freshmen; Schreiber played 12.
* * *
Princeton had 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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What Can You Say About ...
Luke Armour #16
• missed the Hofstra game with an injury
• returned to have two assists against Manhattan
• played in every game last year, starting seven
• was fourth on the team with 14 points (9G, 5A)
Alex Capretta #1
• starting at midfield
• had a career-high four points against UNC while tying his career high with three goals
• had three assists against Hofstra after having two for his first three years combined
• had a goal against Hopkins
• played in 10 games last year
• had career-high three goals against Harvard
Rob Castelo #4
• second on the team with five caused turnovers
• had two caused turnovers and two ground balls against Hopkins
• had a caused turnover and four ground balls against UNC
• had three ground balls and a caused turnover against Manhattan
• 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 against Johns Hopkins
John Cunningham #3
• tied for team lead with 15 ground balls
• top longstick midfielder, as well as a wing man on face-offs
• 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
• has not yet played 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 against Manhattan
• was injured most of his first two seasons but was healthy last year, when he played mostly extra man
Nick Fernandez #24
• starter at shortstick defensive midfield
• had four ground balls and a caused turnover against Manhattan
• had a ground ball and caused turnover against Hofstra
• had three injuries in 2011 - ankle sprain, concussion, broken arm
Tyler Fiorito #6
• preseason second-team All-America for the second straight year
• unanimous first-team All-Ivy League and third-team All-America last year
• did not play against Manhattan after committing a violation of team code of conduct and being suspended for the next game
• had started every game of his career prior to that
• 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
• plays extensively on man-down defensive unit
Jeff Froccaro #18
• starting on attack after playing as a midfielder first two years
• had two goals against Hopkins; also won 5 of 6 face-offs
• had two goals against Hofstra
• had a goal and assist against Manhattan
• leads all active Princeton players with 33 career goals and is second for career lead with 44 career points
• 24 of his 33 career goals have come in the second half or overtime
Mike Grossman #8
• had a career-high four points against Hopkins (2G, 2A)
• also had first multi-goal game of his career
• had a goal and assist against Hofstra and Manhattan
• started every game on attack
• has started on attack and midfield in his career
Will Himler #18
• has one assist in each of the first four games while playing on second midfield
• 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
• had second career point with assist against Manhattan, also on a Schreiber goal
• last game of high school career at Chaminade was an overtime loss to Schreiber's team (St. Anthony's)
Cliff Larkin #19
• started 10 games on attack a year ago
• has missed the first three games with an injury
Bobby Lucas #17
• has won 27 of 48 face-offs through two games (56.2%); won 46.2% of face-offs last year and 52.1% as a freshman
• won 10 of 16 face-offs against Hofstra and had four ground balls and a caused turnover
• won 8 of 16 against
• won 5 of 7 face-offs against Manhattan
• also playing shortstick defensive midfield
Mike McDonald #26
• has started every game on attaack
• named Ivy League Co-Rookie of the Week after Week 1 win over Hofstra
• had three goals on four shots against Hofstra in first collegiate game
• had a goal against North Carolina
• had a goal against Manhattan
Jonathan Meyers #28
• starter on defense
• tied for team lead with 15 ground balls
• had six grounds ball and a caused turnover against Hopkins
• had three ground balls and a caused turnovers against UNC
• had first career point with a 50-yard pass to Jeff Froccaro against Manhattan
• also had two caused turnovers and four grounds balls against Jaspers
• 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 first career two-goal game in the Konica Minolta Face-off Classic against North Carolina
• had first career points with a goal and assist against Manhattan
Derick Raabe #5
• is the No. 2 LSM behind John Cunningham
• started two games at close defense last year
• has primarily played longstick midfield
Eric Sanschagrin #31
• made 11 saves while allowing five goals in first collegiate start, against Manhattan
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
• leads team in goals (eight) and assists (10)
• has at least three points in every game
• leads active players in career points (47) and assists (23)
• had a career-high seven points againstHofstra (3G, 4A)
• had four goals and an assist against Manhattan
• had a goal and two assists against Hopkins
• had three assists against UNC
• 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
• has five goals this year in three games after having six all last year
• had two goals against Manhattan
• had two goals against Hofstra
• had one goal against Hopkins
• had a goal and first two career assists - as well as a career-best three points - against North Carolina
• had two goals, including the game-winner in the fourth overtime, against Brown last year
Peter Smyth #14
• has won 15 of 31 face-offs
• won 10 of 16 against Manhattan
• won 36.7% a year ago
Forest Sonnenfeldt #2
• had one goal in first three games before missing the UNC game due to injury
• had an extra man goal against Hofstra and Manhattan
• had 10 goals a year ago
• could play attack or midfield
Jack Strabo #35
• first-line shortstick defensive middie
• had a goal against North Carolina
• had first two career points with a goal and assist against Manhattan
Chris White #29
• moved from offense to defensive middie a year ago and will play there again this year
• had a caused turnover against Manhattan
Chad Wiedmaier #9
• leads team with seven caused turnovers
• had three caused turnovers against Hopkins
• 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
• one of 20 candidates for the Lowe's Senior Class Award
• active with Fields of Growth and spent four weeks last summer in Uganda