Men's water polo seeks revenge against top Easterns rival Navy

The men's water polo team could not have asked for a better start to its 2004 season. The Tigers' five-game winning streak this weekend, which included a huge victory over rival St. Francis, has put Princeton at the forefront of East Coast play.

But the Tigers (5-0) must be wary of their early success — one of the biggest challenges of their season will be their game against defending Eastern champions Navy (3-4) this Saturday in Salem, W.V.

Though Navy suffered losses earlier in the year, they were all against some of the highest-ranked programs in the country, including No. 3 UCLA and No. 4 California. The experience should prove invaluable to a talented Princeton squad itching to make a mark on conference play.

But there is more to the Tiger desire to conquer the Midshipmen this weekend than just beating a top team — Navy was the team who in 2003 defeated Princeton in the Eastern Division Championship game and dashed the Tigers' hopes of competing in the Final Four.

"The game will be a huge test and we hope we do well," sophomore driver Kyle Morgan said. "We have a score to settle."

This has been the pervading sentiment in and out of the pool since last season, and Princeton has been doing everything to prepare for the powerhouse match-up.

"After weeks of double-day practices and a lot of scrimmaging, we're ready," sophomore driver Victor Wakefield said. "I'm confident about our chances."

After all, with two All-Americans and a deep underclassman group that has put up high scores, the Tigers have plenty to be confident about. All-American junior driver John Stover has continued his reign of terror over opposing defenses. And the sophomore class has also stepped up to the plate, with driver Chris Kelsh, utility Reid Joseph, and center Nick Seaver all delivering multi-goal games this year. All-American senior goalkeeper Peter Sabbatini has been covering the net impeccably this season. But he will have his hands full defending against Navy's team captain and top-scorer, Patrick Rollo. Rollo leads a tough offense that is expected to move the ball well and give the Tigers a run for their money.

Though Princeton beat the Midshipmen in three of their five meetings last year, the loss at Easterns is what the Tigers will have in mind when they enter the pool Saturday.

Before they have the opportunity to compete against Navy, however, Princeton will first have to face Johns Hopkins (5-4) on Thursday and Salem on Saturday morning. Though the Tigers are eager to compete against the Midshipmen, the Blue Jays are also a formidable team and cannot be overlooked this week.

"We can't let down," Morgan said. "We have a big target on our backs now and a lot of East Coast teams will be gunning for us."

The goal for the Tigers will certainly be to preserve their untarnished record and improve on the high-quality polo they have been playing so far this season. Though Hopkins might not be the biggest game of the season, it will certainly test Princeton's stamina and determination, as well as set the team up for an eventful weekend.

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"Playing Hopkins will be a good test because they play the same style of water polo as Navy, which is full of movement and unceasingly trying to draw kick-outs," Wakefield said.

Yet after last weekend's performance, Princeton certainly seems up to the challenge the next few days will offer. With strong finishes at the net, intensity that lasted the entirety of every game, and a team composure that allowed for topnotch playmaking, the Tigers got their season started off on the right foot and look to continue down the path of success.