Success can be measured by different people in different ways. When you are a six-time national champion in lacrosse and your team has played in the last three national title games, many expect that high performance and no less.
This season, the men's lacrosse team shared the Ivy League crown, the ninth straight season it has sat atop the Ancient Eight. The Tigers finished the year with a solid 11-4 record, but 2003 will be remembered as a year of expectations gone unfulfilled.
After beating Albany in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the Tigers advanced to play the Orangemen of Syracuse in the quarterfinals. The two teams that had met in the past three title games would not extend that streak to four.
Syracuse came into the game with a less-than-stellar 9-5 record. The Orangemen were unranked in the tourney and drew the fourth-seeded Tigers in the round of eight. Though Princeton was the higher-ranked squad, the game was set in the decidedly unbiased Syracuse Carrier Dome.
After a scoreless first eight minutes, the Orangemen put up two goals before Princeton could answer, and the first quarter ended, 3-1, in 'Cuse's favor. The two goal margin was by far the closest the Tigers would be for the rest of the game.
Shut out in the second and for much of the third quarter, the next time Princeton found the net, it was only to close the gap to 11-2. Syracuse used superior passing and energy to outplay Princeton in all facets of the game.
"They were great everywhere, don't get me wrong," head coach Bill Tierney said. "But the game was won in the middle of the field."
The 15-5 loss sent home a heartbroken team that had trophies and titles in its eyes.
Princeton Lax v. 2K3 featured one of the most complete starting lineups in the program's history. Armed with accolades and experience, the team entered the season ranked second in the country, the same spot it held at the end of the 2002 season. The squad boasted 13 seniors, seven in the starting lineup, and many of whom played integral roles in years past.
In net was senior Julian Gould. After a strong, if erratic, junior year, Gould fought off intense preseason competition from backups sophomore Matt Larkin and freshman Dave Law. Gould played well for much of the season, including a game-winning save in the waning seconds of the Tigers' regular season victory of Syracuse. Down the stretch, however, Gould fell victim to a seeming lack of confidence, and the Princeton defense gave up far more goals than it averaged in three of its final four games.
Davis dominating defense
The defense was led by senior Damien Davis. A unanimous first-team All-Ivy selection, Davis consistently matched up against the opponents' best attacker. In nine of the team's fifteen games, he did not allow his mark to record a point.
Joining Davis on the back line were senior Brian Lieberman and junior Ricky Schultz. Minus a short ankle injury to Schultz, the back line played nearly every minute on the defensive end.
Senior Joe Rosenbaum had a standout season as the longstick midfielder. In perhaps the most underrated role on the team, Rosenbaum's defensive stops and ability to clear the ball with his feet contributed to many of the Tigers' close wins.
The midfield was senior-laden with Owen Daly, Brad Dumont, Will MacColl, Matt Trevenen and Josh White all playing dominant roles. Junior Drew Casino and sophomore Mac Bryson also saw significant time.
But it was the attack line that carried the scoring load this year. Junior Ryan Boyle, who had 58 overall points, led the country during the regular season with 48 assists. Boyle also set the single season Ivy League record for assists. He is now third all-time in Princeton history.
Senior Sean Hartofilis led the country for much of the season in goals scored. He finished with 41 tallies, vaulting him into third place in that category in program history.
Sophomore Jason Doneger more than filled the shoes of the departed B.J. Prager '02. Doneger was third on the team in points and tied Hartofilis for the team lead in goals.
Princeton Lax v. 2K4 will put a lot of new faces on the field, many of whom have not seen much, if any, playing time in the college ranks. Tierney's ability to shape and use the young talent will determine whether 2004 will be a rebuilding year or another potential title run.
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