The men's soccer team went through its season like a sputtering rollercoaster, earning a breathtaking win one day only to stagnate offensively the next, resulting in a steep nosedive.
When it was all over, the Tigers (8-5-4 overall, 3-2-2 Ivy League) were far from the worst team in the league, yet the Ivy crown would elude their grasp. Princeton finished in three-way tie for second place, with Brown and Yale, but well behind Dartmouth.
No game symbolized the Tigers' up-and-down season better than their 3-2 victory over the Bears at Lourie-Love Field on Oct. 9. While Princeton entered the game coming off back-to-back scoreless ties, Brown seemed to be rolling toward its second straight Ivy title. Ranked No. 21 in the country, the Bears were riding an eight-game Ivy winning streak.
The Tigers controlled the ball, but it was Brown that drew first blood. Twelve minutes, 58 seconds into the first half, Bear forward Marcos Romaneiro sent a free kick crossing into the box. Forward Andrew Daniels ran in from the right wing to knock it down into the net past senior goalie Erik White.
Despite Brown's stodgy defense for the rest of the half — the Bears committed five fouls in the final 15 minutes of the half — Princeton managed seven shots to Brown's five, though none made it into the net.
At 34:20, junior forward Darren Spicer dropped the ball off to senior midfielder Ryan Rich. Rich blasted the ball, but netminder Chris Gomez got a hold of it to retain the lead until time expired.
Princeton had now been held scoreless the past five halves it had played. To help remedy the Tigers' offensive dearth, head coach Jim Barlow '91 changed the lineup to include another forward.
That decision paid off just five minutes into the half, when junior forward Adrian Melville trapped the long pass in front of the 18-yard box. Melville beat his defender to go one-on-one with the goalie, then drilled the ball into the back-left corner of the goal before Gomez could come out of the goal.
Three minutes later, though, junior defender Neil Chaudhuri took Romaneiro down inside the box, earning a yellow card and giving Brown the chance at a penalty kick. White managed to get a finger on the ball but did not stop it, putting the Bears up 2-1.
Again, the Tigers found themselves with the unenviable task of having to dig out of a hole, but they rallied once more. At 16:59, Melville crossed the ball into the box, forcing junior midfielder Ben Young to slide to make it to the ball. Young managed to get a foot on it and send it into the net, evening the score at two apiece.
With momentum on their side, the Tigers continued to press the attack. Their efforts were rewarded with 10 minutes remaining when Spicer scored the game-winner off a cross by Young from the right side. After the ball had crossed the goal line, a Brown defender tried in vain to kick the ball out of the goal.
With a 3-2 lead, Princeton hunkered down and played solid defense. White made two crucial saves in the final minutes of the game to help the Tigers hold onto the lead and the win.
Brown made one last-ditch effort at the end of the game with a free kick outside of the box with four seconds remaining. Time expired, though, before the Bears could get a shot off.
The win seemed to foreshadow a Princeton run at the Ivy League title, having defeated the defending champion. But the Tigers would sputter later in the season, falling to both Harvard and Yale, two of the league's mediocre teams, while Dartmouth strung together four straight wins to claim the crown.
If the Tigers hope to dethrone the Big Green next season, their younger players will have to step up — Princeton graduates four starters: defender Doug Hare, midfielder and captain Teddy Van Buren, forward Ryan Rich and goalie Erik White. Which means that the Orange and Black might well be taking another ride on the rollercoaster.
— Senior writer Clarke Smith contributed reporting to this article.
Read More
With Pierce to sit out the year, men’s basketball loses last senior standing
Harrison BlankSenior forward Caden Pierce announced today that he will be sitting out his senior season of basketball at Princeton in the interests of maintaining his final year of eligibility.
Senior forward Caden Pierce announced today that he will be sitting out his senior season of basketball at Princeton in the interests of maintaining his final year of eligibility.
Women’s ice hockey names Courtney Kessel as new head coach
Lily PampolinaFollowing the resignation of Cara Gardner Morey, Princeton appointed Courtney Kessel as head coach.
Following the resignation of Cara Gardner Morey, Princeton appointed Courtney Kessel as head coach.
Former women’s basketball forward Parker Hill ’25 signs professional contract in Switzerland
Doug SchwartzAfter a successful senior season, women's basketball forward Parker Hill signed a contact to play professional basketball in Europe, following in the steps of her past teammates.
After a successful senior season, women's basketball forward Parker Hill signed a contact to play professional basketball in Europe, following in the steps of her past teammates.