Law of the land: M. lax goalie brings western flair to Jersey

Hockey's premier skaters come from the frozen ponds in the North. Volleyball's hardest hitters hail from the beaches of the West Coast. And, conventional wisdom adds, standout lacrosse players come from the East, from private schools nestled in Baltimore or on Long Island.

But for sophomore goalie Dave Law, who has tended the net admirably for the Tigers during the first four games of this promising 2004 campaign, home is Englewood, Colorado. Law's recent emergence as a standout at Princeton not only represents his own determination but also speaks volumes about the increasing quality of lacrosse played on the other side of the nation.

Law didn't begin playing lacrosse until seventh grade. His older brother Mike, five years his senior, had developed a passion for the sport and was fast becoming a skilled high-school midfielder. Determined to find more shooting opportunities, Mike was searching for a goalie. He found one in Dave.

The arrangement worked well for both brothers. Mike soon moved on to a stellar career at the University of Denver, where as a senior he became the first All-American in school history, and where he now serves as an assistant coach.

Dave's successes have taken him farther from home. Shortly before his junior year of high school, while attending a lacrosse camp hosted by his high school program, Law met Trevor Tierney '01, who at the time was preparing for his senior year at Princeton, a season in which he would be named the NCAA Goalie of the Year and help lead the Tigers to a National Championship.

Law's friendship with Tierney sparked his interest in the Princeton program, and soon Princeton head coach Bill Tierney – Trevor's father – had his eye on the promising young star from Kent Denver High School.

"I wanted to go to the best school I could," Law said, "and if lacrosse could help me do that, great. Princeton was a natural choice."

After two years as a high school All-American, Law saw little time as a freshman at Princeton. This season, however, he has been forced into the spotlight.

He was solid but unspectacular in his first two starts, a win over Quinnipiac and a loss to Johns Hopkins. In the last two weeks, however, he has come into his own, making 26 saves in two games as the Tigers tallied big wins against Virginia and Hofstra.

Law has posted a sparkling .703 save percentage while giving up only 5.69 goals per game in the last two weekends. His 15-save domination of the Cavaliers was enough to garner him recognition as co-Ivy League Player of the Week, an honor Law shrugs off.

"It is nice to be recognized," Law said, "but, especially as a goalie, a good game comes when the entire defense plays well. It's more about the team than the individual."

Law's performance in the cage, however, should not be downplayed. His success in the top echelon of collegiate lacrosse is significant for a player who learned the game out West. Law's breakout comes at an ideal time, when upstart programs like the University of Denver and the Air Force Academy are quietly forging programs that rank among the nation's elite.

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"The schools out West have had plenty of good athletes," Law explained, "but what they are starting to get now are quality coaches."

Law's talent and athleticism places him among the elite keepers in college lacrosse, and he seems capable of walking the path blazed by Tierney five years ago – a path which included two national titles.

When Law made his 15th save of the day with seven seconds remaining in the game to preserve a one-goal victory for the Tigers at Virginia, he also did something his predecessor Trevor Tierney was never able to do – win in Charlottesville.

Law, however, sidesteps comparisons to Tierney, preferring Tiger victories to personal acclaim.

"Sure, you think about it sometimes," he said. "Princeton has a great program and has produced a line of really strong keepers. But focusing on each game helps keep your mind off of that."