Boyle's nine points lead men's lacrosse over Harvard

Call it a statement. No, call it a warning. Behind a career-high nine points from sophomore attackman Ryan Boyle, the men's lacrosse team dismantled Harvard, 18-4, last Saturday, serving notice that the defending national champions have plenty of fight left in them.

The victory puts the Tigers' record at 5-4 overall and 2-1 in the Ivy League. The win also keeps the team on pace to take the conference title if it can win out in its remaining games.

Cornell, with a win over Dartmouth, remains undefeated in the Ivies, setting up a critical matchup this weekend when the Big Red visit Princeton.

As the score of this past weekend indicates, however, the Tigers are playing every game with focus and a sense of urgency.

"We're not looking ahead," Boyle said. "We're taking it one game at a time. We are looking for consistency and momentum, and we aren't going to overlook anyone."

"We've been very focused the last few games," senior defender Scott Farrell added.

"The stakes are high now and we need every game."

After missed opportunities yielded a modest 1-0 Princeton lead following the first quarter, Boyle and the offense took over.

The standout second-year player scored four goals and tacked on an assist as the Tigers lit up the scoreboard for eight goals in the period. Only a late goal by the Crimson broke up Princeton's first half shutout.

"Even though we didn't score much in the first quarter, we still felt comfortable," Boyle said. "We got good looks in the first, but in the second we started shooting well. We shot harder and with more focus. For me, I noticed that the defense wasn't sliding over, so I took the opportunity to be more aggressive. I took some shots and got some goals."

In the second half, Boyle assumed his more typical role as a playmaker. He registered four assists in the half as the Tigers matched their output from the first half with nine goals in the last two periods. The 18-goal barrage is the team's highest total of the season, equaling the output of the Penn game.

"It's nice to get some momentum going," Boyle said. "You get better bounces and the calls seem to go your way more often.

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"I think it's important for this team to finally be on a solid winning streak."

One of the main reasons for Princeton's current winning streak has been the outstanding play of junior goalie Julian Gould. A week ago, Gould came up with save after clutch save in the Tigers' 7-6 triple overtime victory over then-No. 8 Duke. Against the Crimson, Gould stopped 13 of the 16 shots he faced before freshman Matt Larkin relieved him in the second half.

"Everyone knew Julian had this capability," Boyle said. "We were all confident in him and now he's playing up to his potential.

"The media might be surprised by his play, but not the team."

"Julian has been playing fantastically," Farrell added. "I think the defense is letting him see more of the shots that he wants to see. He hasn't had to face as many one-on-one chances. We've been able to force more outside shots, and Julian's stopping almost everything that comes at him."

The other story for the Tigers on defense was the man-to-man matchup of Tiger junior defender Damien Davis against Crimson attackman Matt Primm.

Primm, Harvard's leading scorer, was held without a point on the afternoon as Davis' suffocating defense did not allow him any room to move.

The offense also had several heroes, as Boyle got plenty of help from his teammates. Senior attack Brendan Tierney and junior midfielder Owen Daly recorded three goals and an assist each on the day. Senior attack Sean Hartofilis also chipped in with two goals and an assist.

The Tigers have now shown skill and depth at every position over the last two weeks.

But Cornell will undoubtedly present a stiffer test for Princeton than Harvard did, and the stakes are certainly higher. In order to beat the Big Red, the Tigers will need all of their units to have solid performances.

Most importantly, perhaps, Princeton will need a great showing from Gould. Thus far this season, the Tigers have fared only as well as their goalie. And if there ever was a must-win game, this Saturday's matchup with Cornell is it.