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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
NJIT
Players Mentioned
Currier, Thompson Lead Princeton To Win Over NJIT In Opener
February 20, 2016 | Men's Lacrosse
Final Stats
The sun shining, the temperature was unseasonable, the game was well under control.
And then came the reality check for the Princeton men's lacrosse team. It came in the form of an announcement over the Sherrerd Field PA system, and it was a reminder that there's a long, long, long way to go in the 2016 season.
Zach Currier had four goals and three assists, Riley Thompson had three goals, and Princeton had 12 different players score as the Tigers rolled past NJIT 21-4 in its season opener. NJIT, a second-year program, fell to 0-3 on the season.
The Tigers were up 17-3 at the end of the third quarter when the final score from Chapel Hill: Hofstra 10, North Carolina 5.
Hofstra is Princeton's next opponent, on Long Island next Saturday. After that, it's a trip to Baltimore to take on Johns Hopkins. Then it's Maryland at home. Those two were in the Final Four last year. And then, once that's done? It's six Ivy games, and non-league opponents Stony Brook, Lehigh and Rutgers.
Ah, but all that is for the future. The opener was played on a beautiful Febuary day, in contrast to last year's opener, which was played in snow. So was the second home game a year ago. In fact, Princeton did not play a home game in 2015 in warmer temperatures than the 2016 opener.
NJIT, still looking for the first win in program history, was Princeton's first New Jersey opponent other than Rutgers in 30 years. The game was 1-1 before the Tigers ripped off 12 straight to get to 13-1 at the half and then another to make it 14-1 to start the second half.
GAME NOTES
* Zach Currier had career highs in goals (four), assists (three) and points (seven). Currier, a preseason second-team All-America, had Princeton's first three goals of the game, and he added two assists before the end of the first quarter.
* Sophomore Riley Thompson had his first career three-goal game. In fact, Thompson had never had more than one goal in a game, score his three goals in the first 18 minutes of the game. He also added two assists.
* Both of Thompson's assists were to freshman Dawson McKenzie. Princeton's nicest goal of the game was a tic-tac-toe goal from Currier to Thompson to McKenzie, all three of whom are Canadians who attended Culver Military Academy.
* Of the 12 players who scored for Princeton, eight scored the first goal of his career, including four freshmen.
* Freshman Charlie Durbin finished with two goals, five ground balls and seven wins in 10 face-offs.
* Princeton used every healthy player, including all four goalies. Matt O'Connor, the second of the four goalies to play, made four saves without allowing a goal.
* Sam Gravitte, last year's top longstick midfielder who started on defense in this game, had two caused turnovers and an assist.
* Ryan Ambler had two goals and three assists. His five points moved him past former teammate Kip Orban into 20th place all-time at Princeton in scoring, and his three assists moved him within one of Robert Kent for 11th.
* The Tigers outshot NJIT 42-26.