Princeton Storms Past Yale To Reach Ivy Tournament Final

Friday, May 3

Cornell University

6:00 PM

Princeton University

10-4 (4-2Ivy)

Yale

11-4 (4-2Ivy)

Yale

Princeton

Photo by: Nick Ierardi

Princeton Storms Past Yale To Reach Ivy Tournament Final

May 03, 2024 | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

Princeton head men's lacrosse coach Matt Madalon stood in the cramped lockerroom adjacent to the Schoellkopf Field turf at halftime of Friday night's Ivy League tournament semifinal game against Yale. The score was tied. The season was in the balance.

His message to his team? In 30 minutes this opportunity will be gone forever. Make the most of it. And so his team did.

Chad Palumbo scored five goals, Michael Gianforcaro made 16 more saves and Andrew McMeekin won 20 of 28 face-offs with 17 ground balls and a huge fourth-quarter goal to lead Princeton to a 14-10 win over the Bulldogs. The win advances Princeton to the Ivy championship game Sunday at 1 (ESPNU/ESPN+), where the team will take on the winner of the second semifinal between Penn and Cornell. The Ivy League's automatic NCAA tournament bid will go to the winner of that game.

13:29 Q3 ¦ OH MY PALUMBO ZOO WEE MAMA

6-5, TIGERS!!! pic.twitter.com/3Ol38qp0Sg
— Princeton Men's Lacrosse (@TigerLacrosse) May 3, 2024

Princeton has now beaten Yale five straight times, including twice in the last six days. The previous meeting came in the final game of the regular season in New Haven, where Princeton earned its place in the Ivy tournament with a 15-8 win. That game, though, was back in April. The rematch was in May, and winning in May is never easy.

So don't let the four-goal margin fool you. This game was a one-goal game with less than seven minutes to go, after Yale had scored the first three of the final quarter, cutting Princeton's 11-7 lead at the end of three to 11-10. Would this one get away? Nope.

First Coulter Mackesy chased in a low rocket to make it 12-10 with 6:30 to play, and then McMeekin did what he has done better than any face-off specialist in Division I this year, taking the draw and cashing in his eighth goal of the season five seconds after Mackesy, building it back to three at 13-10. Palumbo's fifth, on an extra man opportunity, pretty much sealed it with 5:43 left.

6:25 Q4 ¦ MEEKS WHEN IT MATTERS MOST??????

2 GOALS IN 5 SECONDS FOR THE TIGERS. pic.twitter.com/UfHaXBf87h
— Princeton Men's Lacrosse (@TigerLacrosse) May 4, 2024

The first two of Palumbo's goals came with the Tigers down 3-1 in the first quarter, both on assists from Nate Kabiri on a one-minute non-releasable penalty, tying things at 3-3. Princeton would not trail again, but it was a back-and-forth second quarter, as the Tigers could never take a two-goal lead. It was 5-5 at intermission.

With Madalon's halftime words ringing, Princeton outscored Yale 6-2 in the third — and both of Yale's goals came after video reviews. Just when it looked like Princeton was in control, Yale came back, setting the stage for Princeton's late surge.

In addition to Palumbo, Princeton got two goals each from Mackesy, Colin Burns and Tucker Wade, who also had two assists. Kabiri tied his career high with four assists.

McMeekin has now won 40 of 54 face-offs with 34 ground balls and a goal in the two games against Yale. Gianforcaro's 16 saves matched his total from a week ago.