Tigers trump Bison

The men's water polo team dropped the hammer on their unsuspecting opponents from Bucknell last night. The Tigers defended their home water with an 8-4 win that left the Bisons walking away from DeNunzio Pool with no doubt as to which team was better.

After three close quarters, Princeton led 5-4, but the Tigers galvanized their forces and pulled away decisively for the victory. Over the final seven minutes, the Black and Orange mounted a sustained offensive attack without compromising their defense. The Bisons, lulled into a false sense of parity, were unable to hang on to the Tigers' coattails.

"The first three quarters we were playing excellent defense. We didn't want them to get past us, but we just couldn't put it away," senior center and co-captain Jamal Motlagh said. "We were all foreplay, no finish. So we just had to step up and put the ball in the back of the cage."

Senior utility Mike McKenna played a great game. His smooth passes in the third and fourth quarters in particular were key in moving the ball to open players, and left teammates raving after the game.

"When Mike puts the passes on your hands," senior driver and co-captain John Stover said, "you know the ball is going in the back of the net."

"His passes are like butter on corn," Motlagh added, "it just enhances the flavor."

"Yeah, like putting the chocolate chips in the batter," Stover added.

Rubber match

Princeton and Bucknell entered the game particularly determined to win. This was the teams' third encounter of the season, and with the regular season schedule nearing an end, every game becomes increasingly precious for seeding in the upcoming Southern Championships.

The Tigers walked away from the squads' first encounter of the season with a 6-5 win after playing four exhausting overtime periods, in what remains their longest game of the season.

The Bisons came ready to avenge their loss in the second encounter. The ensuing battle was almost as hard-fought as the first, as both teams locked horns through two overtime periods. This time, however, Bucknell prevailed, 11-10. The loss was particularly disappointing for the Tigers because it snapped a 14-game College Water Polo Association winning streak.

"We talked a lot about [our mindset] after the last game and going into this game, and about giving them more respect," Stover said. "They are a good team, but we know that we are a better team. We also had a good defensive weekend last weekend and we were just trying to carry that over today."

In Motlagh's opinion, not underestimating the Bison was the key to victory.

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"It was a matter of giving them more respect and take it to them right from the beginning," he said.

The ease with which Princeton was able to kick its level of play into high gear in the fourth quarter is a good sign as the Tigers prepare to enter postseason play. Additionally, the Tigers have proven themselves to be in excellent physical shape, having only deplaned from their grueling five-game California tour on Sunday night.

"We're back and getting ready to dominate for the rest of the year and get ready to win Southerns, win Easterns," Motlagh said. "We're going to go back to NCAA Championship and be competitive. This is mine and John's last times to play water polo in our lives, and we don't want to go out like some chump team."