Men's Soccer: Tigers need victory, help for shot at Ivy League title

The men’s soccer team hasn’t lost in its past six games. Yale (5-8-3 overall, 2-4-0 Ivy League) hasn’t lost to Princeton (8-5-3, 3-2-1) in its last six matchups. Something will have to give at Roberts Stadium tonight.

At stake is a shot at the Ivy League championship and even a spot in the NCAA tournament field. The game will be broadcast on the Fox Soccer Channel.

“We’re definitely really excited,” said freshman defender Mark Linnville, who has started all 16 of the team’s games. “First of all, we’re playing on national TV. It’s an unbelievable atmosphere. If we get in, anything can happen.”

Standing in the Tigers’ way are the Bulldogs, who, despite their losing record, will likely pose a stiff challenge. Of Yale’s 16 games this season, five have gone to overtime. The Bulldogs have failed to record a victory in any of those games, losing three and tying the other two.

“They’ve had a bunch of really close results, close wins and near-losses,” Linnville said. “It’s another must-win for us to have a chance. I think it’s kind of been our approach. Every game is a must-win for us. I don’t think anything changes with the opponent.”

Two of those overtime games came in league play, and all four of Yale’s Ivy losses have come by one goal. The Bulldogs’ two victories, against Cornell and Columbia, have also come by one-goal margins.

Goalkeeper Travis Chulick has started 15 of 16 games for Yale this year, giving up 22 goals for an average of 1.41 a game.

Yale heads into its season finale fresh off a tough 2-1 loss to Brown. If history can predict the future at all, Princeton will be in for a close one — each of the Bulldogs’ last three games has been decided by one goal.

Fortunately for the Tigers, they enter the finale on their best roll of the season. The stretch began with a dramatic, nationally televised game against St. John’s, which ended in a 1-1 tie after a pair of overtimes.

Since then, Princeton has rattled off dominating victories over Columbia, Colgate and, most recently, Penn. The Tigers’ most impressive victory, however, has to be their 2-1 double-overtime shocker over No. 11 Harvard in Cambridge, Mass. Sophomore midfielder Antoine Hoppenot scored twice to give Princeton the strongest win on its resume.

“At the beginning of the year, we weren’t playing our best soccer, but we were finding ways to win,” Linnville said. “We went through our slump in the mid-season, but now everything seems to be clicking with the team. The midfield is doing a great job, our forwards are doing a great job, and our defense is finally coming together.”

All in all, the Tigers boast a very balanced team on offense, with 10 different players owning goals this season.

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Junior goalkeeper Sean Lynch has started all 16 games this season. He’s given up 20 goals and boasts a 1.18 goals-against average.

Princeton, along with No. 11 Harvard, Brown and Dartmouth, remain in contention for the Ivy League Title. The Tigers will need to beat Yale and then hope for help: The Big Green and the Bears will need to tie, and the Crimson will need to lose to Penn as well.

If all of those events fall into place, Princeton would make up the three-point gap between it and Harvard and the four teams would tie for the league championship.

Even if they don’t, the Tigers have the 14th-best RPI in the nation — a strength-of-schedule indicator that plays a major role in deciding who receives berths to the NCAA tournament. If Princeton wins, it will have an excellent chance of earning a spot.

Linnville said he believes that Princeton’s recent success and tough schedule would leave the team very well prepared for the tournament, if the Tigers earn a berth.

“If we get a chance at the tournament, I think we can do damage,” Linnville said.