Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
No. 12 Princeton Meets No. 8 Carolina In Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic
March 08, 2012 | Men's Lacrosse
North Carolina, on the other hand, will be playing its third game in seven days, so the Tar Heels will be the ones with the quick turnaround, while the Tigers have had their longest time off during the regular season to reflect on their 2-1 start.
Either way, it's a matchup of teams that are coming off losses, Princeton to Hopkins and Carolina to Lehigh and Penn.
The scheule doesn't do either team any favors, as Princeton follows the UNC game with a game Tuesday night at Villanova and then the Ivy opener against Penn next Saturday (March 17) at home on the official Sherrerd Field dedication day.
As for Carolina, the next six games are: Princeton, Duke, Dartmouth, Maryland, Hopkins, Virginia.
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Jeff Froccaro and Tom Schreiber are tied for first among active Princeton players in career points scored with 44. They are, however, tied for second in this game among players who have the most career points at Princeton.
Jack McBride, now a graduate student at Carolina, had 90 goals and 115 points at
Princeton. His goal total is 15th-best all-time at Princeton; his point total ranks him 21st.
McBride played in the first game last year for the Tigers, scoring what would prove to be his only goal of the year and final goal in a Princeton uniform. He also played two minutes against Penn later in the season, and that would be it, his senior year ended by a groin injury.
Had McBride matched his 35-goal total of his sophomore and junior years, he would have had 124 career goals, which would have ranked him fourth all-time at Princeton, behind only Jesse Hubbard (163), Chris Massey (146) and Sean Hartofilis (126).
McBride was a Princeton captain last year, as well as a two-time first-team All-Ivy selection and the 2008 Ivy Rookie of the Year. He obviously was the teammate of every current Princeton player except for the freshmen.
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Princeton and UNC meet for the 14th time, and the Tigers lead the series 7-6. Of the previous 13 meetings, six have been one-goal games and two others have been two-goal games.
The teams have met in Chapel Hill and Princeton, as well as on neutral fields in Norfolk, Piscataway, Philadelphia and now Baltimore.
The neutral site game in Philadelphia was in the 1992 NCAA semifinals, won by Princeton 16-14 on a 100-degree day at Franklin Field. The Tigers then won the first of their six NCAA championships by defeating Syracuse 10-9 when Andy Moe scored after picking up a ground ball off the face-off for the second overtime.
For the record, Princeton's 16 goals in the 1992 semifinal game came from: Justin Tortolani (now a surgeon) 3, Kevin Lowe (now in the Hall of Fame) 2, David Morrow (who would go on to start Warrior Lacrosse) 2, Scott Reinhardt 2, Taylor Simmers 2, Brian Tomeo 2 and one each for Mal Meistrell, Andy Moe and Torr Marro.
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The Princeton-North Carolina series is actually in three separate parts, with two meetings in the 1980s, nine meetings between 1992 and 1999 and then games each of the last two years, both won by UNC.
The teams played two years ago in Chapel Hill, where a late Princeton rally fell just short in a 12-11 loss. Last year, Princeton went up 3-0 before Carolina came back for a 9-7 win at Class of 1952 Stadium.
Forest Sonnenfeldt had two goals and Tom Schreiber had a goal and two assists last year against the Tar Heels. The only current Princeton player who scored against North Carolina two years ago was John Cunningham, the longstick midfielder, though Jack McBride had two goals and an assist for his old team against what would become his new team.
Tyler Fiorito made just four saves while allowing 12 goals (.250 save percentage) against UNC two years ago and then made 14 saves while allowing nine goals (.609 save percentage) last year.
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Princeton will be playing its sixth game in M&T Bank Stadium, and the Tigers are 2-3 all-time in the facility to date. Princeton lost to Navy in the 2004 NCAA semifinals there and then split their four previous Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic games, all against Johns Hopkins.
Princeton is 1-1 in the Meadowlands (a split with Syracuse in the old Giants Stadium and the new MetLife Stadium) and 2-0 at Gillette Stadium (wins over Brown and Dartmouth in the New England Lacrosse Classic each of the last two years).
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Princeton has scored 33 goals in three games, for an average of 11.0 per game. Only once in 12 games last year did Princeton reach 11 goals (vs. Rutgers).
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Looking for a key stat for this game? Try face-offs.
North Carolina's R.G. Keenan has won 79 of 112 face-offs, a percentage of .705. Looking a little closer, Keenan won an astonishing 66 of 81 (81.5%) in the Tar Heels' first four games, all wins, and is 13 for 31 (41.9%) in the last two games, both losses.
Princeton won 62.2% of its face-offs in its first two games, both wins.
Princeton won 10 of 21 against Hopkins in its loss, including 4 of 13 in the first three quarters, when Hopkins dominated possession and built its lead.
Combined, the teams have are 104 for 151 (68.9%) in their wins and 27 for 60 (45%) in their losses.
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Princeton has had five players score at least one goal in each of the first thre games: Mike Grossman, Tom Schreiber, Forest Sonnenfeldt, Tucker Shanley and Jeff Froccaro.
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Princeton allowed 14 extra-man goals last year, with a man-down defensive percentage of .341. Through three games this year, Princeton has allowed one extra-man goal in seven opportunities, for a .142 percentage.
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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 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 four caused turnovers
• had two caused turnovers and two ground balls against Hopkins
• 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 12 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
• missed first three games 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
• 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
• 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
• 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 tied 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 first two games on attack
• has started on attack and midfield in his career
Will Himler #18
• has one assist in each of the first three 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 19 of 32 face-offs through two games (59.4%); 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 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 Manhattan
Jonathan Meyers #28
• starter on defense
• tied for team lead with 12 ground balls
• had six grounds ball and a caused turnover against Hopkins
• 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 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 and assists
• has at least three points in every game
• tied with Jeff Froccaro for career lead in points by an active player with 44
• 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
• 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 two goals, including the game-winner in the fourth overtime, against Brown last year
Peter Smyth #14
• has won 14 of 28 face-offs
• won 10 of 16 against Manhattan
• won 36.7% a year ago
Forest Sonnenfeldt #2
• has one goal in all three games
• 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 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 six 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
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)
MANHATTAN (W, 13-7)
GOALS - Schreiber 4, Shanley 2, Froccaro 1, MacDonald 1, Strabo 1, Orban 1, Grossman 1, Feild 1, Sonnenfeldt 1
ASSISTS - Armour 2, Schreiber 1, Grossman 1, Orban 1, Strabo 1, Himler 1, Meyers 1, Froccaro 1
GOALIE - Sanschagrin (53:27 min, 5 goals-against, 11 saves), Kavanagh (6:33 min, 2 goals-against, 0 saves)
JOHNS HOPKINS (L, 10-8)
GOALS - Grossman 2, Froccaro 2, Schreiber 1, Sonnenfeldt 1, Capretta 1, Shanley 1,
ASSISTS - Schreiber 2, Grossman 2, Himler 1
GOALIE - Fiorito (60:00 min, 10 goals-against, 9 saves)