Zeros all around for Tigers

Ending a six-game losing streak by battling to a scoreless tie against a talented team is usually a cause for celebration. The men's soccer team's double-overtime tie against Monmouth (4-2-2 overall) last night, however, left the Tigers (0-6-1) with mixed feelings.

"We're pleased with how we played, but we're striving for more," sophomore defender Danny Steiner said. "Still, the shutout was a big step for our team."

Having spent much of the game dominating the ball and controlling possession, Princeton was unable to capitalize upon any of its opportunities — a trend that has permeated much of the season. Despite outshooting the Hawks 18-8, the Tigers ended up with nothing to show for it.

"It's kind of been like that all season," Steiner said. "But it was great to come out and dominate the game the way we did."

Even more striking was the contrast between the teams' shots on goal — Princeton had eight, Monthouth had zero. Over 110 minutes of play, freshman goalie Sean Lynch did not have to make a single save.

"We were able to shut down their two big threats on top, which was key," Steiner said.

Four of the Tigers' eight shots on goal came in overtime, with perhaps their best chance of the game coming in the 107th minute.

Having picked up a furious pace with time winding down, the Tigers found themselves with the ball directly in front of the Monmoth net, needing only to beat goalie Daniel Schenkel and one defender. Freshman attack Brandon Busch, controlling the ball, passed to sophomore Ben Harms, who took a quick shot on net.

For the eighth time of the game, however, Schenkel denied a Princeton goal, deflecting the ball in front of the net. By the time sophomore midfielder Devin Muntz picked up the ball, the hole had closed and his shot was turned away by a pair of Monthouth defenders.

Another Tiger scoring chance, which came early in the first overtime period, was thwarted by the most physical play of the game. After Busch received the ball at midfield, he was decked by the lone Monmouth defender standing between him and Schenkel. The hit lifted Busch off his feet and left him writhing on the ground for nearly a minute.

Despite the fact that the hit was clearly directed at Busch's head, the referee declined to give a yellow card to the Monmouth defender. The Tigers received a free kick but were unable to capitalize.

Princeton's final chance came in the 109th minute when senior captain Kyle McHugh sent his third shot of the game just over the goal. Corralling the ball with less than 30 seconds remaining, Schenkel was content to run out the clock and escape with a hard-fought tie.

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Though the Tigers were unable to capitalize on their opportunities, the tie was a step in the right direction. Not only did it snap their losing streak, but it also marked their first shutout of the season.

Knights up next

Looking forward, Princeton will face off against Fairleigh Dickinson (2-4-2) on Sunday. Like Princeton, the Knights took a trip to California earlier this season and, like the Tigers, dropped both of their games on the West Coast.

Farleigh Dickinson dropped its first game in California 2-0 against San Diego and lost again two days later to San Diego State by the same score. The Knights, however, managed to bounce back after their return, picking up their second win of their season against Towson, 3-1. In the nearly two weeks since, the Knights are winless, having lost to Lehigh before battling to a double-overtime tie against Hofstra last Saturday.

Last season, Farleigh Dickinson finished 9-5-4 overall and 6-1-2 in the Northeast Conference, thanks in large part to impressive goalkeeping by Elvir Prasovic and Tomer Chenciski, who allowed only nine goals between them over 18 games. Since Chenciski's departure at the end of last season, the team's goalkeeping has been somewhat less effective, as Prasovic has already allowed nine goals this season.

The Knights' offensive attack is led by sophomore standout Samson Malijani. After leading the team with 18 points as a freshman, the Zambia native has already tallied 11 points this year, including five of Fairleigh Dickinson's six goals. In order for the Tigers to be successful on Sunday, they will have to find a way to contain the reigning NEC Rookie of the Year, who has provided the Knights with almost all of their offense.

On Sunday, both the Tigers and Knights will have the opportunity to gain some much-needed momentum as they head into their league schedules in the coming weeks. Ivy League play opens for Princeton on Oct. 6 with a road game against Brown.

"We don't need to do that much differently," Steiner said. "We just need to convert on the chances we have."