Princeton University
Johns Hopkins
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No. 8 Men's Water Polo Earns Split With Johns Hopkins, No. 16 Navy
September 20, 2014 | Men's Water Polo
BALTIMORE, Md. - The eighth-ranked Princeton University men's water polo team moved to 7-1 on the season after splitting a pair of games with CWPA Southern Division rivals Johns Hopkins and No. 16 Navy.
Dropping a narrow 10-9 decision to Johns Hopkins earlier in the day, Princeton secured a 12-7 victory over the Naval Academy in the nightcap. The Tigers are now 8-4 against the Midshipmen since 2011.
The Orange and Black return to action on Sunday, Sept. 21 against No. 18 George Washington.
JOHNS HOPKINS 10, NO. 8 PRINCETON 9
Avenging a 10-8 setback to Tigers at the Princeton Invitational two weeks ago, Johns Hopkins handed the Orange and Black its first loss of the season with a narrow 10-9 decision at the Newton White Natatorium.
Knotted 4-4 at the half, Princeton carried a slim 8-7 lead into the final period. Buoyed by a pair of Johnny Beal goals, the Blue Jays outscored the Tigers 3-1 in the final eight minutes to complete the comeback.
Curtis Fink paced the Princeton attack with three goals, while Thomas Nelson had a pair of scores. Jamie Kuprenas, Drew Hoffenberg and Connor McGoldrick also got on the board with Hoffenberg adding four assists and four steals. Winning all four sprints, Jordan Colina chipped in with a goal and two steals.
Alex Gow took the loss in net, despite a solid performance. Making eight saves in the first half, Gow stopped four shots in the third and added three more in the fourth to finish with 15 saves.
Goals: Fink 3, Nelson 2, Colina 1, Kuprenas 1, Hoffenberg 1, McGoldrick 1
Assists: Hoffenberg 4, McGoldrick 1
Steals: Hoffenberg 4, Kuprenas 2, Colina 2, Jeremic 2, Fink 1
Ejections Drawn: Kuprenas 2, Fink 2, Hoffenberg 2
Blocks: McGoldrick 2
Sprints: Colina 4-0
Saves: Gow 15
NO. 8 PRINCETON 12, NO. 16 NAVY 7
Rebounding in the second game of its Saturday Southern Division doubleheader, Princeton earned a 12-7 decision over the 16th-ranked Naval Academy.
Jumping out to an early 3-1 first quarter lead, the Tigers scored six unanswered in the second period to build an eight-goal cushion. Navy held a slim 3-2 scoring advantage in the third before accounting for three of the four goals in the final frame. Despite the late surge, the deficit proved too big to overcome with the visitors holding onto a five-goal difference.
Hoffenberg paced Princeton with four goals and an assist, while Colina turned in a hat trick to go along with two steals. Nelson, Kuprenas, Sam Butler, Bret Hinrichs and McGoldrick each chipped in with a goal, while Jovan Jeremic dished out three assists.
Making five first-half saves, Vojislav Mitrovic recorded six stops in a busy third quarter. Posting three more saves in the final eight minutes, the freshman goalie finished with 14 for the contest to remain unbeaten at 5-0.
Goals: Hoffenberg 4, Colina 3, Nelson 1, Kuprenas 1, Butler 1, Hinrichs 1, McGoldrick 1
Assists: Jeremic 3, Nelson 1, Kuprenas 1, Butler 1, Hoffenberg 1, Hinrichs 1
Steals: Colina 2, Nelson 2, Hoffenberg 2, Kuprenas 1, Fink 1, Wachtell 1
Ejections Drawn: Hoffenberg 3, Nelson 2, Kuprenas 1, Butler 1, Bowen 1
Block: Hoffenberg 2, Butler 1
Sprints: Nelson 3-0, Colina 1-0
Saves: Mitrovic 14