Princeton Gets 24 Saves From Croddick And Four Goals From Mackesy To Take Down Rutgers For The Meistrell Cup

Saturday, March 8

Princeton, N.J.

7:00 PM

Princeton University

Rutgers

Photo by: Shelley M. Szwast

Princeton Gets 24 Saves From Croddick And Four Goals From Mackesy To Take Down Rutgers For The Meistrell Cup

March 08, 2025 | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

Ryan Croddick piled up the saves. Coulter Mackesy piled up the goals. Between them, they made sure the Meistrell Cup wasn't going anywhere.

Croddick had a 24-save night, while Mackesy scored four more goals and had an assist, to lead Princeton to an 11-5 win over Rutgers Saturday night on Sherrerd Field in the 102nd meeting between the New Jersey rivals. As is tradition in the rivalry, the Meistrell Cup was given to the winning team, and once again that was the Tigers.

Princeton finished its five game opening non-conference schedule, which included three Big Ten teams and two ACC teams, with a record of 4-1 and almost surely will move up to No. 2 in the national polls this coming week. Princeton opens its Ivy League season this coming Saturday at Cornell.

Croddick made 17 of his 24 saves in the first half, and the 24 saves tied the Sherrerd Field record for a single game. There have now been six games with at least 22 saves this season in Division I, and two of them are Croddick's, along with his 22-save performance in the win over Penn State.

Rutgers scored the first goal of the night, but the Tigers came back to score the next five, with two each from Mackesy and Nate Kabiri and then the first career goal by shortstick defensive midfielder Cooper Mueller. Rutgers scored the next two to make it 5-3 in the second quarter but would get no closer the rest of the night.

Mackesy ended up with four goals and an assist, giving him 141 goals (third all-time at Princeton) and 209 points (now sixth all-time at Princeton, two behind Jesse Hubbard for fifth) for his career.

AND 1 ?????? Mackesy goes airborne, scores, AND draws the man-up opportunity?? pic.twitter.com/LpJA7ct3cR
— Princeton Men's Lacrosse (@TigerLacrosse) March 9, 2025

Nate Kabiri scored three goals, and Chad Palumbo had a three-point night as well with a goal and two assists. Tucker Wade and Braedon Saris also had a goal each.

Mueller had two caused turnovers and two ground balls in addition to his goal.