Men's Lacrosse: Share of Ivy crown on the line

Now, No. 4 Princeton (11-2 overall, 4-1 Ivy League) has a golden opportunity to bring the Ancient Eight title back to Old Nassau. The Tigers have an even better chance at earning a bid to the NCAA tournament. After its convincing 14-7 win last Saturday over Dartmouth (4-10, 1-4), and because of No. 10 Brown’s victory over No. 8 Cornell (9-3, 5-1), Princeton will face off against the Bears (12-2, 4-1) this weekend fighting for a piece of the Ivy League crown.

The winner of Saturday’s matchup will be named co-Ivy League champion, sharing the honor with the Big Red.

“Brown is a very solid team, and they are coming off a big win over Cornell,” senior tri-captain Chris Peyser said. “Both teams have a lot at stake with this game. The energy that we bring to the field will be really important to our success this weekend.”

The Tigers have been in this position before. Princeton entered its final game last season against Brown with an opportunity to share the Ivy League title with the Big Red, but the Bears pulled out a 6-5 victory on their home turf, leaving the Tigers empty handed and without a tournament bid for the second straight season.

This season’s game, needless to say, has fans of the Orange and Black hoping for a different result. The contest will take place at Princeton’s Class of 1952 Stadium, where the Tigers have won 15 straight games.

“I think playing at home is a great advantage for us,” senior midfielder Mark Kovler said. “We haven’t lost in a long time at 1952 Stadium, and having our fans there really helps.”

Statistically speaking, the squads from Princeton and Brown share many features. The Tigers come into the game averaging 11.6 goals a contest, while Brown sits close behind, averaging 10.8. The two teams stand neck-and-neck defensively, each allowing a shade under eight goals per game.

One of the key factors in the game will be the play of both goalies. Brown’s defense will be anchored by All-American and reigning Ivy League Player of the Year Jordan Burke, whose .629 save percentage ranks fifth in the nation. The Tigers will require nothing short of a highlight reel performance from freshman phenom Tyler Fiorito to pull out this victory.

“[Burke] is a great goalie. We all know that. He’s definitely one of the best in the league this year,” Fiorito said. “But for me, it’s always been more fun than anything else playing against someone that’s so good on the other side of the field. In the end, it just goes down to me playing my own game, playing up to my ability and giving my team the best chance to win. The game doesn’t really come down to me versus him, as many people might see it.”

The challenge for Fiorito and the defense will be to stop the Bears’ trio of Andrew Feinberg, Kyle Hollingsworth and Thomas Muldoon. The three attacks have combined for 57 percent of the team’s goals and 54 percent of its total assists this season.

All the firepower Brown boasts on offense may be neutralized if the Bears are not able to gain possession of the ball. This weekend’s matchup will feature two of the less successful faceoff teams in collegiate lacrosse.

Princeton is successful in 46.5 percent of its faceoffs, while Brown gets the ball 41.7 percent of the time. Junior faceoff man Paul Barnes will earn the Tigers a significant advantage if he is able to win the possession battles on Saturday.

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Brown’s stifling defense has not allowed any opponent to reach the double digits in scoring in its last 10 games. The task of dismantling this vaunted defensive line, fortunately, will fall on large, capable shoulders. Kovler and sophomore attack Jack McBride — Princeton’s two Tewaaraton Trophy nominees — will lead the Tiger attack into action. McBride leads the team with 32 goals, paced by Kovler’s 27 scores and eight assists. Senior attack Tommy Davis, senior midfielder Rich Sgalardi and junior midfielder Scott Mackenzie provide balanced offensive support, all having totaled well into the double digits in the two offensive categories of goals and assists.

Kovler acknowledged that he is facing a familiar foe in Burke.

“Going up against Jordan Burke is always a challenge,” Kovler said. “We’ve played against each other every year for a long time, whether it be high school, summer league or the Ivy League championship game. He’s a great goalie and presents some distinct challenges. We will have to rely on [associate head coach David] Metzbower to tell us the best places to shoot.”

Peyser, who remembers the situation from last year, said he knows his squad can take nothing for granted.

“Like last year, it is a huge game for both teams,” Peyser said. “But we are a different team this year. We realize that we have a great opportunity to play in such a big game at home, and the energy that we bring to the game will be very important in determining the final result.”

Play begins Saturday at 1 p.m. at Class of 1952 Stadium.