The Princeton Tigers (1-0 overall, 0-0 Ivy League) will continue their season this Saturday as they take on Lehigh (1-2) in a second non-conference game.
Last weekend, Princeton made a strong opening statement as it defeated Lafayette 35-31 at home. The Tigers were dominant on all fronts, limiting the Leopards’ pass-heavy offense and absolutely shutting down the visitors’ run game. Offensively, Princeton relied on familiar faces to carry the day: senior running back Joe Rhattigan, senior quarterback Chad Kanoff, and junior quarterback John Lovett all performed according to expectations as they amassed five touchdowns for the Tigers.
Against Lehigh, the Tigers will face another team with a dominant aerial attack. The Mountain Hawks’ passing game is currently ranked sixth in the nation, with Lehigh boasting a 69.9% completion rate. Additionally, the Mountain Hawks boast a 57.5% third down conversion rate and are ranked third in the FCS for this statistic. Much of this offensive prowess can be attributed to Lehigh’s quarterback, Nick Shafnisky, a dangerous dual-threat. In the Hawks’ matchup against Penn last week, Shafnisky had six touchdowns — three passing and three rushing — and proved the deciding factor in Lehigh’s 49-28 blowout of the Ivy League team.
Princeton’s opponent is no slouch defensively, either. Lehigh has allowed an average of only 25.67 points per game, and the Tigers will need to top that number to keep up with the Mountain Hawks’ high-octane offense.
Against this team, Princeton head coach Bob Surace ’90 emphasized the need for smart, cohesive play.
“I thought we played hard, but we didn’t play smart on offense [against Lafayette],” he observed. “We weren’t catching the ball. So there’s going to be a lot of corrections — certain positions have to step up and play better for us to reach our goal of winning this week.”
However, Princeton thus far seems to posses the balance and talent to go toe-to-toe with its latest opponent. The Tigers can pit senior defensive back Dorian Williams, who has years of experience and leads an up-and-coming secondary, against Shafnisky and Lehigh’s passing game. Princeton also allowed only 60 rushing yards in the last contest and will look to put on a similar performance against Lehigh’s ground game. Furthermore, the Tigers have plenty of offense in their own right — Kanoff had 160 yards through the air in Princeton’s first game, and Rhattigan amassed 136 yards and three touchdowns of his own. This combination of effective passing and rushing should prove troublesome for any defense.
Lehigh is 13-7 against Princeton overall. Last year, the Tigers drubbed the Hawks 52-26. They will look to continue that history of success on the field Saturday.
Read More
By the Numbers: Women’s tennis title and men’s golf awards in winning week
Harrison Blank and Andrew BosworthBy the Numbers: Women’s tennis title and men’s golf awards in a winning week. From baseball to lacrosse, we broke down individual excellence across Tiger athletics.
By the Numbers: Women’s tennis title and men’s golf awards in a winning week. From baseball to lacrosse, we broke down individual excellence across Tiger athletics.
Staff Picks: Men’s Lacrosse vs. Yale
JP Ohl, Lily Pampolina , and Joe McGonigleWith the fate of their season in the balance, No. 13 men’s lacrosse will travel to New Haven on Saturday to close out their regular season against Yale. Staff Sports Writer JP Ohl ’26, Sports contributor Lily Pampolina ’27, and Sports contributor James McGonigle ’27 offered their picks for this weekend’s contest.
With the fate of their season in the balance, No. 13 men’s lacrosse will travel to New Haven on Saturday to close out their regular season against Yale. Staff Sports Writer JP Ohl ’26, Sports contributor Lily Pampolina ’27, and Sports contributor James McGonigle ’27 offered their picks for this weekend’s contest.
Women’s tennis claims Ivy League title in comeback thriller over Harvard
Josefina GurevichAfter a commanding win over Dartmouth gave women’s tennis the opportunity to play Harvard for the championship, they rallied from match deficits and an overall 3-1 Crimson lead to clinch the Ivy title and their fifth-straight trip to the NCAA tournament.
After a commanding win over Dartmouth gave women’s tennis the opportunity to play Harvard for the championship, they rallied from match deficits and an overall 3-1 Crimson lead to clinch the Ivy title and their fifth-straight trip to the NCAA tournament.
