Yale Uses Familiar Script To Defeat Princeton

Saturday, March 24

New Haven, Conn.

1:00 PM

Princeton University

3-4, 0-2IVY

Yale

6-1, 2-0IVY

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Princeton Tigers	2	2	2	2	8
Yale Bulldogs	6	1	5	4	16

Braedon Gait had a goal in the 16-8 loss to Yale

Photo by: Patrick Tewey

March 24, 2018 | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

The familiar script - the one that is the worst-case scenario for Princeton's men's lacrosse team when it plays Yale - played out again when the teams met in New Haven Saturday afternoon.

Yale dominated face-offs, which led to possession dominance, while led to a wide statistical disparity, as the Bulldogs defeated Princeton 16-8. Yale has now won the face-off matchup against Princeton for the 18th time in the last 19 meetings between the teams and did so by a wide margin. It led to a day where Princeton goalie Tyler Blaisdell, into the final minute of the game, had made more saves than his team had taken shots.

In the beginning, Yale's Conor Mackie won the opening face-off and teammate John Daniggelis scored 36 seconds in. By the end, Mackie won 20 of 24 face-offs and picked up 18 ground balls, leading to some wild statistical numbers, including:

* Yale outshot Princeton 51-20
* Princeton turned 20 shots into eight goals
* Yale had a 46-14 edge in ground balls

Even when Princeton had possession, Yale's defense forced the Tigers into seven failed clears and 18 turnovers. For all of that, it was the first four minutes of each half that really did in the Tigers.

Yale led 4-0 after four minutes of the first quarter, but the Tigers settled down a bit to get it to 7-4 at the break. Yale then scored four more times in the first 3:29 of the third quarter, making it 11-4 and putting Princeton in the position of having to try to win face-offs to mount a comeback.

The brightest spot for Princeton in the game was the play of freshman defenseman George Baughan, who covered Yale's two-time Tewaaraton Trophy finalist Ben Reeves. Baughan didn't start the game and came on after Reeves had scored one goal, and he then shut Reeves out until he scored twice in the final six minutes. Baughan also forced Reeves into five turnovers.

NOTES

* Tyler Blaisdell made 18 saves for Princeton and moved into 10th place all-time in saves in program history. He now has 442 career saves, which moved him past Trevor Tierney. Blaisdell also made 18 saves against Yale a year ago; the 18 saves are two off his career high of 20, set at Johns Hopkins his sophomore year. Blaisdell has now started 41 straight games.

* Phillip Robertson and Austin Sims scored two goals each for Princeton. Michael Sowers had a goal and assist, and Riley Thompson had two assists.

* Chris Brown had Princeton's first goal. The freshman is the only Princeton player with at least one goal in every game of his career.

* Mackie has won 46 of 57 face-offs in the last two games against Princeton. Yale is 279 for 413 facing off against Princeton in the last 19 meetings between the teams combined.