The No. 19 Tigers (6-4 overall, 3-0 Collegiate Water Polo Association Southern Division) shaped up their defense, capitalized on their man-advantage opportunities and played with consistent intensity — three marked improvements that gave Princeton the edge against its foes.
The first two weeks of the season were tough for the Tigers, exposing a wide array of defensive gaps and areas to improve.
“We identified our problems with our defense, especially six-on-five, and we worked on it a lot,” senior utility Brendan Colgan said. “We’ve definitely come along in our defensive strategies, but there is still a lot to be done.”
Princeton’s matchup with the Blue Jays (5-9, 0-3) did not begin promisingly, as Hopkins driver Reid Fox scored on a quick shot from the perimeter less than two minutes into the game. Junior utility Mark Zalewski answered quickly, however, notching a goal 20 seconds later.
Such quick replies characterized the first half. The Tigers exchanged goals with the Blue Jays but never took the lead until the last 10 seconds, when senior utility Alex Edmunds converted on a turn-around shot.
Princeton clung to that margin in the second half, taking an 11-10 lead into the final frame. Junior utility Eric Vreeland struck first for the Tigers with a five-meter goal. Johns Hopkins fought back, however, and the score was tied at 14 in the final minutes.
Sophomore center Jeff Cole stepped up and finished off the Blue Jays with his fourth goal of the game to give Princeton the 15-14 win. Cole and Zalewski led the Tigers with four goals apiece, while Vreeland added three five-meter goals to help guide Princeton to victory.
The best performance of the weekend, however, came Saturday night. The Tigers played some of their finest water polo and broke a five-year, 10-game losing streak by defeating Navy (10-7, 3-1), 7-3. The loss was the first defeat for the Midshipmen in their last 25 CWPA matches.
The Tiger defense clamped down on Navy in the early going, allowing the Midshipmen only one first-half goal late in the second quarter. Essential to Princeton’s victory was controlling attacker Michael Mulvey, Navy’s leading scorer and an offensive dynamo. To accomplish this feat, the Tigers relied on a quick drop defense and great two-meter defensive play by sophomore two-meter defender Matt Hale.
“We were really fired up, and defensively we really shut them down,” Colgan said. “I really give credit to Matt Hale, who shut their two-meter guy out.”
On offense, a strong third quarter allowed Princeton to break through Navy’s defense and dampen its morale. The Tigers put four goals away and staked themselves to a formidable 7-2 lead.
Another key was superlative defense from sophomore goalkeeper Mike Merlone, who piled up 11 saves in the contest and 40 saves on the weekend. The Midshipmen scored only one goal in the fourth quarter, giving Princeton the 7-3 victory.
After two impressive performances, the Tigers finished the weekend with a tough match against George Washington (6-9, 1-2), a team that has managed some big upsets this season.
As they did against Hopkins, the Tigers played a back-and-forth game against the Colonials, never holding more than a one-point lead before the fourth quarter. Princeton dominated the rhythm of the game, however, communicating effectively on offense to create opportunities.
With the game tied at nine with five minutes left to play, the Tigers kicked into a higher gear with a goal from Hale. Junior driver Douglas Wigley later tacked on an insurance goal, settling the match at 11-9.
“George Washington had a shallow pool, and it’s a completely different dynamic,” Colgan said. “Hopkins and [George Washington] both have the advantage in their home pools, but in a deep pool it would have been a different game.”
Zalewski led the Tigers once again with four goals, while Vreeland tallied two. Merlone recorded 14 saves at the other end of the pool.
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