Princeton D Slams Door On Penn As Tigers Rally For 12-8 Win

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Down three at halftime to a Penn team that was determined to get a Senior Day win, the Princeton men's lacrosse team gathered in a hallway under the North stands at Franklin Field. The mood was one of obvious confidence. Given the situation, it might have been a bit surprising.

Did that confidence carry over into the second half? That's putting mildly.

Princeton completely turned the game around in the third quarter and never looked back, turning that three-goal deficit into a four goal, 12-8 win over the Quakers. Second-ranked Princeton had trailed 7-4 at the break but outscored Penn 8-1 in the second half to win it sixth straight.

The Tigers are now 10-2 overall and 4-1 in the Ivy League, with the regular season finale against Yale at home this coming Saturday. Princeton will then play the first weekend in May in the Ivy League tournament at Cornell, who clinched the host role with a 20-12 win over Harvard.

The defensive intensity was dialed way up in the second half. Penn scored seven goals in the first half, including what seemed to be two back-breakers in the final 1:09 of the second quarter, which could have sent the Tigers to their halftime gathering a bit shell-shocked. Instead, there was no panic, just the sense that the game would turn.

And turn it did. Penn turned it over three times in the first half and then 11 more in the second half. Penn took 29 first half shots but could manage only 14 in the second half. The only Quaker goal came early in the fourth, after Princeton had put together a 5-0 third quarter to lead 9-7. Penn didn't score again, and Princeton added three more to put it away.

Freshman Peter Buonanno had his first career three-goal game, including a massive one to start the second half and get it to two. Sean Cameron then cut it to one, and Coulter Mackesy tied and put Princeton ahead with back-to-back goals before assisting another one to Braedon Saris to build that 9-7 lead.

#12 to get the Tigers to 5?? pic.twitter.com/dqgvLNkoJt
— Princeton Men's Lacrosse (@TigerLacrosse) April 19, 2025

Tucker Wade had two goals and an assist, while Chad Palumbo had two of his own. Cooper Mueller sealed it with his fourth of the year.

Ryan Croddick made 12 saves for Princeton, who held its opponent to eight or fewer for the fourth time in eight games. Hunter Spiess and Michael Bath both had two caused turnovers.

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