Winning games is not the only trend the men's water polo team (5-0) is starting this year; they are also adding mustaches to their "To Do" list with mixed reviews.
"We decided to go with team mustaches this year. Some teams grow beards, but we decided to go classy with the mustache," junior driver John Stover said.
"It's just a symbol of team unity, power and respect for the mustache," sophomore driver Victor Wakefield added.
"It's obviously something that's not attractive," sophomore driver Chris Kelsch said, "but you have to fight through it and look silly for the team."
Despite their facial hair peculiarities, a disproportionately female crowd cheered the team to victory this weekend. Princeton started the season in stellar fashion, taking all five games and winning the Princeton Invitational tournament this weekend.
Cakewalks
Friday night's game against U.C. Santa Cruz and Saturday morning's match against Fordham were cakewalks for the Tigers. With brutal efficiency, the Black and Orange demonstrated what makes it the No. 13 team in the nation. Princeton dominated both games, winning 11-4 and 14-0, respectively. Never underestimating any team, however, head coach Luis Nicolao was reluctant to call these games blowouts.
"We have some things to work on, but it's always good to start the season with some wins," he said. "It was nice to get that opportunity to get some guys in the water. Everyone gets a chance to play, and that's great because all these guys work hard and practice hard."
Saturday night, the Tigers met up with Ivy rival Brown.
"We always want to come in and destroy them when possible," Kelsch said. "We know that they hate us, possibly more than we hate them."
Princeton began its crusade from the start, gaining a quick 3-1 lead in the first quarter. The onslaught continued with the help of much improved sophomore drivers Nick Seaver and Kelsch, as well as seasoned powerhouse Stover. Seaver tallied five goals, while Stover fortified the offense with five assists, two goals and two steals. Kelsch chipped in two goals including one which awed Wakefield.
"He was getting maimed by the defenders as the goalie was coming out," Wakefield said. "And instead of just taking a foul he decided, 'You know what, the goalie is out. I think I'm just going to make a nice easy goal.' Meanwhile he's getting kicked and punched underwater by these Brown players. It was pretty cool."
That goal made the score 6-4 in Princeton's favor. The Bears never got closer, and Princeton pulled away for an 11-6 win.
Big dogs
The true challenge came Sunday morning as the Tigers faced off against St. Francis, one of the rare East Coast teams that poses a real challenge for Princeton. Last season, the teams matched up twice, each winning once.
"They're always a tough team to start off the year with," junior driver John Stover said.
Indeed, the contest against the Terriers was one of the most physically aggressive games of the tourney. With many of their players having the advantage of a few extra years and several extra pounds, the Terriers pushed and pulled their way to a one-goal lead, which they tenaciously defended in the first half.
"It took us a few possessions to figure out what they were running," Stover said. "Beyond that we knew if we kept in the game and kept pressuring them, they would make some mistakes. We didn't get caught up in any of the cheap shots underwater and that was probably one of the smartest things we did today."
Fouls were prevalent on both sides, although the Terriers had a number of players ejected for the duration of the game, including the goalie.
The third quarter was a tense one as Princeton began capitalizing on the Terriers mistakes, slowly closing the gap. Stover and junior driver Dean Riskas were able to convert amazing passes into goals to pull ahead, 7-5. The Tigers are able to close the quarter ahead, 7-6.
Although the first three quarters were physical, the fourth quarter was particularly so, as St. Francis grew increasingly frustrated. Princeton pressed its advantage and closed the game with a 13-10 victory.
Easy ending
With the toughest games out of the way, Sunday afternoon's game against George Washington didn't seem like such a challenge. Had the Tigers not been wearied from the game two hours before or been suffering from the accumulated fatigue of the weekend, they would have blown past the Colonials with little trouble.
Seemingly moving in slow motion, Princeton fell behind early and it was not until the second half that it was able to string together the passes and create the plays that produce goals. Playing through their sluggishness, the Tigers pulled off an 8-4 victory.
Noticeably absent in the water was junior driver Sam Bliss. After re-injuring a bad shoulder, Bliss will most likely sit out for the rest of the season. When asked whether there would be any chance of him getting back in the pool next season, the answer was determined and unhesitating:
"Definitely," Bliss said. "I'm playing my senior year — that's all there is to it."
Aside from Bliss, the team is in top form and ready for its upcoming contest against Johns Hopkins. The away game should not be a problem for Princeton, which is looking to extend its winning streak past its current five games. Last season, the Tigers efficiently dispatched the Blue Jays twice, 16-8 and 14-6.
The mustachioed team will have a chance to propagate both trends Thursday at 7 p.m. in Baltimore.
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