On Saturday, the men’s rugby team beat The College of New Jersey, Montclair State University and William Patterson University to win the New Jersey State Tournament for the second consecutive year.
The Tigers did not allow a try all day, topping their opponents by a combined 53-3 score.
Princeton has won the tournament three of the four times it has been played, losing only in 2008 to Rutgers.
The field of six teams was split into two pools, with the winner of each pool meeting for a championship match.
The pool-play games were shortened to 20-minute halves, and the championship had 25-minute halves.
Princeton opened the day by shutting out the TCNJ Lions 12-0.
Though the Tigers controlled the pace of play, the Lions were within a single score for most of the game.
That was until the 40th minute, when Princeton earned a scrum in TCNJ territory, close to the sideline. Upon winning the scrum, sophomore scrum-half Ben Tsui faked a pass to sophomore fullback Pete Davison, then took the ball himself toward the “weak” side.
The fake earned Tsui an extra step, which allowed him to beat TCNJ to the sideline and gain valuable ground.
On the next phase, junior lock and captain Zak Deschaine dove in for the try just before the final whistle sounded.
The Tigers had little chance to rest before their next game against Montclair State.
Even so, Princeton spent nearly the entire game with the ball in Montclair’s end of the pitch, winning 31-0.
Though most teams would normally be content with a 14-0 lead at halftime, Princeton actually squandered multiple scoring opportunities in the first half with knock-ons and players allowing themselves to be taken out to touch.
Junior wing Adam Nassr improved Princeton’s execution by scoring consecutive tries — his second and third of the day — to open the second half.
All five of Princeton’s tries were scored by backs.
Recognizing Montclair’s weakness at fullback, Tsui used kicks more than he normally does.
This was crucial to Princeton winning the field position and possession battles. The only lapse in Princeton’s defense came in the second half, when Montclair got the ball with room to run.
In a moment that appropriately sums up the game for Montclair, the runner knocked the ball out of his own hands with his knee, destroying the scoring chance.
In the final, Princeton met a physical William Patterson side. Two weeks before, at the Four Leaf Tournament, Princeton lost to William Patterson in pool play, then beat the same squad in the semifinal.
This time, Princeton was better prepared.
“We pinpointed who their strong runners were and talked about how to shut them down,” Nassr said. “And I think we did that pretty effectively.”
Princeton went up 5-0 in the first half when junior wing Mitch Adwon alertly picked up a loose ball and took it himself for a try.
Senior eight-man Cam McLain scored Princeton’s second try but gave his teammates credit for setting up the five points.
“[The try] wasn’t much to do with me,” McLain said. “Pete Davison drew the man in; I called for it on the wing and ran it comfortably in.”
The play demonstrated a simple tactic that Princeton used to great effect all day: Create space, then use that space.
McLain also frustrated William Patterson’s attack with consistent defense, highlighted by some crucial stolen rucks.
It was only with four minutes left in the final game that Princeton first allowed an opponent to score.
William Patterson converted a penalty kick, the only blemish on Princeton’s nearly clean sheet.
Sophomore lock Ben Spacapan was named Princeton’s Man of the Tournament for heading this impressive defensive effort.
Next weekend, the Tigers will face Yale at home, with the Koranda Cup on the line.
Yale beat Princeton 36-10 in the fall season opener, but Princeton has seen several freshmen fill key roles since then.
Tsui sees the team’s success this weekend as a catalyst that will propel it to victory against Yale.
“William Patterson was a good challenge for our team,” Tsui said. “When we face Yale, we’ll be better for it.”
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