This fall season has been one of the finest in the recent history of Princeton athletics. This weekend will showcase the last team standing of the 2009 fall season, as the No. 13 men’s water polo team strives to make history and clinch its first-ever NCAA championship. The Final Four will be played at a sold-out DeNunzio Pool, with Princeton and USC squaring off in the weekend’s first match on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Then…
Princeton’s last NCAA tournament appearance was in 2004, when the Tigers clinched the tournament’s third seed by defeating St. Francis in the Eastern Championships final. In the semifinal match against second-seeded UCLA, the Tigers fought back in the final seconds to make it an overtime affair, but the Bruins pulled ahead in overtime. The Tigers then faced Loyola Marymount in the consolation match, and they were barely edged by a score of 6-5.
And Now
At Easterns, Princeton clawed its way into the final after two one-point games in the quarters and semis and spectacular defensive and offensive showcases in the final against Navy. The victory at Easterns capped off what is truly a Cinderella season for the Orange and Black. The Tigers clinched the Collegiate Water Polo Association’s automatic berth into the NCAA Final Four.
The contenders
USC. Princeton has faced USC twice in its history, dropping an 11-4 decision last year and a tough 14-3 loss this year. A national leader in most statistical categories, the Trojans stand out the most in their goals-against average, the nation’s lowest at 5.58. Princeton, 13th in GAA (8.65), will need to not only shut down the Trojans’ multiple offensive weapons, but also play its best defense of the year.
“USC has a very strong two-meter man, senior J.W. Krumpholz, who was part of the Olympic silver medal team and the national player of the year last year,” senior left attack Eric Vreeland said. “He’s very fast, very big, and we know if we don’t shut him down, we don’t have a shot at winning the game.”
The Trojans’ offensive unit is balanced mostly among three players, with Justin Rappel and Shea Buckner tied with 41 goals apiece this season and Krumpholz not far behind with 33. For the Tigers to win, they will need to tailor their defense to shut these players down.
The Trojans come into the Final Four as the at-large bid after coming in third at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Championship. USC dropped a critical semifinal match against UCLA, 10-6, and the four-goal margin was the largest losing margin for the Trojans in years. The Bruins went on to win the tournament and clinch the MPSF’s automatic berth.
UCLA and Loyola Marymount. The Tigers faced UCLA this year in their season opener, losing by a 17-4 score. They last met Loyola Marymount in 2005, when they picked up a decisive 8-3 victory.
Keys to success
Princeton will need to continue to play the same caliber water polo it played at Easterns. There, the Tigers played error-free, as they gave up very few man-advantage opportunities and let their opponents make mistakes. In the 5-4 win over Navy, Princeton stuck to what it does best: defense. The Tigers’ most challenging matches this season were won if the score was kept low and if the play was more defensively oriented.
“I think that we know what we have to do,” Vreeland said. “We’re coming in with a similar game plan, trying to control the tempo of the game, slow it down and play six-on-six. It’s definitely going to be a huge factor being at home and having the crowd behind us, so we definitely have a chance to win.”
The seniors of this team know what it’s like to come close, with two second-place Easterns finishes under their belts. Because of this, clinching this year’s Easterns and earning a Final Four berth have been special.
“We’re the last fall sport still competing, and we’re really excited for this Final Four,” Vreeland said. “And if you get a chance to come, cheer your ass off. We’re going to need that support on Saturday and on Sunday.”
Follow along
Tickets for this year’s NCAA Championships are sold out, but you can watch live streams of all of the matches at cbscollegesports.com. The championship match will also be televised live on the CBS College Sports Network.
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