This year's men's lacrosse season hasn't exactly been as epic as some past years, but it certainly ended in poetic fashion.
The Tigers (5-7 overall, 4-2 Ivy League) defeated Brown (6-6, 2-4) on Saturday at Class of 1952 Stadium by a score of 13-4. They closed out their season in a promising fashion amid strong play from a multitude of Princeton players — including several seniors who had not seen much previous playing time.
Senior attack Matt Prager and senior midfielders J. G. Guidera and Andrew Sung all recorded career-first goals in the last game of their Princeton careers.
"[The game] couldn't have been better, and for lots of reasons: selfishly, the win, a little, but having J. G. score a goal, and Sung score a goal, and Matty Prager score a goal — that's a Broadway script that I couldn't have written any better," head coach Bill Tierney said.
From the first face-off, which the Tigers took, it quickly became clear that the day would be Princeton's. Early in the first quarter, the Tigers went man-up. Sophomore attack Tripp Shriner capitalized with a goal to put Princeton on the board just under two minutes into the game.
Brown responded with a goal that slipped in right over starting senior goalie Matt Larkin's shoulder, but it would be the Bears' last score until the end of the quarter. Right after the goal, sophomore midfielder Mike Gaudio beat his defender, stepping right in front of the cage to score an unassisted goal for Princeton with nine minutes, 21 seconds to play.
Two minutes later, senior attack Jason Doneger went to the rack off a feed from sophomore attack Peter Trombino, opening up a two-goal lead for the Tigers, 3-1.
The Tiger rain continued to fall on the Bears another two minutes. In a highlight of the day that had the Princeton sideline as excited as it has been all season, Prager caught a feed from Gaudio to score right on the crease and put the Tigers up, 4-1.
Larkin steps up
With 2:35 to play, Trombino found the cage for himself, scoring an unassisted goal by shooting across his body. With 58.6 seconds to play, Brown finally managed a goal in response to Princeton's four.
The Tigers started the second quarter in control after Larkin saved a shot that was created on a breakaway off a face-off won by the Bears — a play that highlighted his strong play in the scoreless 15 minutes. Larkin had another save off a tricky behind-the-back shot from right on the crease, and yet another at pointblank range with about five minutes left into the half.
After halftime, Princeton carried its momentum into the third, crafting yet another five-goal quarter. The Tigers went man-up early on, and Sung caught a pass from Trombino and shot a fast, rising, underhanded bullet that whistled right into the goal — a spectacular score reminiscent of the very best of Princeton lacrosse.
Brown would get the next possession, but freshman goalie Alex Hewit, who had replaced Larkin in the cage, made a key save on a behind-the-back shot. Freshman attack Alex Haynie scored the next two goals, putting the Tigers ahead of Brown 8-2 before the Bears replied with a score to make it 8-3.
Thanks largely to strong defense from senior defender Oliver Barry, though, the Bears' scores were few. Brown kept forcing the ball to its star senior attack, Chazz Woodson, but Barry was there to shut him down every time he received a pass.
Trombino and fellow sophomore attack Scott Sowanick then each had a goal. Sowanick's came from a feed by Guidera, who went on to score off a rebound from the Bears' goalie with 3:00 to play.
Bittersweet ending
All told, by the time the dust settled, Princeton found itself on top, 13-4, and walked off the field for the last time this season pleased with a big win to end it all. In particular, seniors Barry and attack Jason Doneger wore broad smiles as they walked into the locker room.
"It's bittersweet in a way, because you go, 'God, what could we be, let's keep playing,' but on the other hand, it's a fitting moment for a nice team that did an amazing job out here today," Tierney said. "Our seniors really wanted this game, and they wanted to win because they did not want to be the class that let this thing die."
Because the Tigers don't meet the requirement of a .500 record, they won't get an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament later this month. But the team's level of play in the past two weeks points to a promising next season.
"The thing I'll remember the most [about this season] is just this past two weeks," Tierney said. "The wins are wonderful, but [so was] the reaffirmation of what I believed about Princeton men and Princeton lacrosse players and Princeton athletes for years, and that's that it can be rough once in a while, but we are honest and graceful winners and honest and graceful losers, we're very resilient, and we'll never quit."
And that, in and of itself, is quite poetic.
Read More
Preview: No. 3 men’s lacrosse plays No. 5 Syracuse in NCAA quarterfinals
Hayk YengibaryanShould the Tigers beat the Orange, they will advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2022 as they look to win their first national championship since 2001.
Should the Tigers beat the Orange, they will advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2022 as they look to win their first national championship since 2001.
Six for six: men’s and women’s track and field both complete triple crown
Luke StocklessMen’s and women’s track and field each won the Ivy League title this past weekend, capping off a dominant season in which both teams won the triple crown — a feat not seen in 14 years.
Men’s and women’s track and field each won the Ivy League title this past weekend, capping off a dominant season in which both teams won the triple crown — a feat not seen in 14 years.
Nation’s No. 2 miler Mena Scatchard ’25 to transfer to Stanford for graduate year
Luke StocklessThe Tigers’ most decorated distance runner ever has decided to use her final year of eligibility at Stanford after graduating from Princeton this May.
The Tigers’ most decorated distance runner ever has decided to use her final year of eligibility at Stanford after graduating from Princeton this May.