Tigers ready to take on Cavaliers

The men's lacrosse team took a giant step last weekend towards moving past last year's horrid season. If the Tigers want to prove that they are truly back in the national title hunt, however, they'll have to get past an even bigger test waiting for them this Sunday at Princeton Stadium.

The first hurdle was cleared with the team's strong 6-4 victory over defending national champion Johns Hopkins last weekend. Sunday's game pits the No. 5 Tigers (2-0 overall) against No. 2 Virginia on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Princeton Stadium, in a game televised by ESPNU.

"Last week's game was a great win for us against a solid team and one we really needed to get the momentum rolling this year," senior midfield Hakim Thompson said.

"The Hopkins win was big," junior defense Will Presti said. "We weren't sure who we were before that game, and getting the win helped us gain the confidence that we will need going into the Virginia game."

But the team is not letting last week's victory get to their heads. "Last week was a good win, but this week is a whole new deal," freshman midfield Mark Kovler said. "We can't be settled with last week's performance at all."

Indeed, head coach Bill Tierney urges his players to view each game as a separate challenge and to focus not on the past but on how they will deal with each opponent's particular strengths. "We have to move on...and try to start anew because [Virginia is] a totally new opponent with a totally new style," Tierney said.

One of the most difficult challenges the Tigers will face this weekend will be dealing with their opponents' speed and athletic prowess.

"We definitely respect the athleticism and raw talent that Virginia brings to the table, so we'll have to be ready to defend against their up-tempo, transition-oriented offense," Thompson said.

After a day off on Monday, the team dedicated this week to assessing how they will be able to shut down the Virginia offense. The Wahoos took 57 shots in the game against Syracuse, and the same aggressiveness can certainly be expected this weekend.

"Defensively, we have been preparing for the run-and-gun style of Virginia," Presti said. "They love to push the tempo, and they are dangerous any time they possess the ball."

Last weekend saw particularly strong defensive performances from junior John Bennett, sophomore Dan Cocoziello and sophomore goalie Alex Hewit, who finished the game with seven saves.

In terms of the Tiger offense, last week's performance left something to be desired, as the team was only able to convert on six of its 38 shots. This was mildly disappointing for the team and for Tierney, who has been trying to teach the Tigers to employ a quicker offensive style. "Right now we are on hold as far as talking about our fast-paced, high-powered offense," Tierney said.

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Nonetheless, there is clearly an abundance of talent in the Princeton offensive lineup. Two freshmen were among the five Tigers who scored in the Hopkins game: Kovler, who scored only 47 seconds into the game, and midfield Josh Lesko.

Overall, the team remains confident that it will put forth its best efforts to defeat the perennially-tough Virginia team.

"We need to stick to what we do. If we play tough, smart, Princeton lacrosse, we will give ourselves the best chance of winning, and that's all that you can do," Presti said.