For the final issue of the year, The Daily Princetonian counts down the top 10 Princeton sports games of the year. Selections and rankings were made based on the outcome, caliber, excitement and significance of the competition. There were far more excellent options to choose from than could be included, but these games helped make 2009–10 a memorable year for Princeton athletics.
10. Men’s Volleyball vs. Springfield (March 12, 2010)
In a season when the men’s volleyball team had 10 matches go to five sets, one stood out from the rest. Having dropped a pair of sets to Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association opponent Springfield on a rainy night in Dillon Gymnasium, Princeton faced a daunting task: climbing out of an 0-2 hole. But after dusting the Pride in three consecutive sets, the Tigers emerged victorious. Much of the credit for the impressive comeback goes to freshman outside hitter Pat Schwagler, who recorded a whopping 31 kills in the match. Princeton went on to have its best season since 1998, eventually reaching the finals of the EIVA tournament, where the Tigers lost to perennial powerhouse Penn State.
9. Wrestling vs. Brown/Harvard (Feb. 6, 2010)
After numerous campaigns where the wrestling team managed — at best — only a handful of victories each year, the 2009–10 season marked a drastic turnaround for the grapplers. That turnaround culminated in Princeton’s defeat of both Brown and Harvard on the same Saturday afternoon. First, the Tigers squared off against Harvard and came away with a commanding 35-10 victory. Just hours later, Princeton won a hotly contested competition against Brown by a 21-15 mark. Freshman standout Garret Frey also won both his matches in the 125-pound class and would later become the first Princeton wrestler to reach the NCAA championships since 2005.
8. Track and Field Indoor Heptagonal Championships (Feb. 27–28, 2010)
For the first time since the 1997–98 season, both the men’s and women’s track and field teams swept the indoor Heptagonal Championships. The men’s team finished ahead of Cornell by 32 points, and the women’s team bested Columbia by 15. On the men’s side, Princeton placed first in 11 events, highlighted by sophomore Austin Hollimon’s lightning-fast performance in the 400m dash, where he clocked in at 47.42 seconds. The women’s squad claimed seven individual titles. Junior Ashley Higginson finished first in the mile with a time of 4 minutes, 46.55 seconds, the fourth fastest time in Heps history. The Tigers claimed the top three spots in the 3,000m run, with senior Reilly Kiernan, sophomore Alex Banfich and Higginson placing first, second and third, respectively.
7. Women’s Tennis vs. Vanderbilt (Feb. 20, 2010)
Though its season may be far from over, the women’s tennis team has already accomplished a great deal. Perhaps its most noteworthy achievement was its narrow victory over then-No. 20 Vanderbilt in Jadwin Gymnasium. As usual, sophomore Ivy League Player of the Year Hilary Bartlett led the way for Princeton, defeating Vanderbilt’s top player in a singles match and teaming with junior Taylor Marable to win the No. 1 doubles match as well. (Bartlett is also a contributing writer for the ‘Prince.’) Thanks to a doubles victory from junior Sarah Hoffman and senior Melissa Saiontz, and singles victories from Marable and sophomore Rachel Saiontz, the Tigers were able to overcome the favored Commodores.
6. Men’s Basketball vs. Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (March 22, 2010)
It may no longer be the heyday of the men’s basketball team, but it sure felt that way for at least one game when Princeton defeated Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis 74-68 in double overtime to advance to the third round of the College Basketball Invitational tournament. In a game dubbed “the Catfight in the Jungle,” the Tigers proved to be too much for the Jaguars. Princeton trailed 63-59 with less than a minute remaining in regulation, but a pair of layups from freshman forward Ian Hummer propelled the Tigers to overtime. After an IUPUI three-pointer sent the game into a second overtime, Hummer and junior guard Dan Mavraides helped Princeton pull away. Mavraides led all scorers with 18 points on the night. Princeton’s season ended two nights later with a loss to St. Louis.
5. Women’s Basketball vs. Harvard (March 6, 2010)
The women’s basketball team defeated Harvard 78-66 in the penultimate game of the regular season in typical dominant fashion. Freshman forward Niveen Rasheed, the eventual Ivy League Rookie of the Year, earned a double-double by recording 23 points and 10 rebounds. The Tigers benefited from an equally impressive performance from sophomore forward Devona Allgood, who also had a double-double with 15 points and a team-high 13 rebounds. Despite the apparent ho-hum results for a 25-2 team accustomed to winning, the victory secured the Ivy League’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament for Princeton, the first in school history. The Tigers capped off an unblemished 14-0 league season with a 68-51 win over Penn three days later.
4. Men’s Soccer vs. Fairleigh Dickinson (Sept. 18, 2009)
With 0.8 seconds remaining in double overtime against Farleigh Dickinson, junior midfielder Teddy Schneider approached the penalty mark and confidently slipped a shot past the FDU goalkeeper to give the men’s soccer team a 2-1 decision and one of its most thrilling victories in recent history. It appeared as though the match would be decided in 90 minutes until FDU forced overtime by knotting the score at one apiece with 25 seconds remaining. Princeton refused to fall apart after the goal, however, and outplayed its opponent in both overtime periods to claim its home opener. The victory extended the team’s winning streak to four games, the best start the squad has seen in years. The Tigers went on to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, ultimately falling to Bucknell in the first round.
3. Field Hockey vs. Syracuse (Nov. 15, 2009)
Trailing No. 8 Syracuse 3-2 at halftime of the NCAA quarterfinals at Class of 1952 Stadium, the field hockey team’s season appeared in jeopardy. Thirty-five minutes and five unanswered goals later, the Tigers were headed to the NCAA Final Four with a 7-3 victory over their perennial rivals. Sophomore striker Kat Sharkey led the way for Princeton, scoring three of her four goals in a 10-minute span to propel the Tigers past the Orange. Though Princeton fell a week later to No. 1 Maryland, the Final Four appearance was the team’s first since the 2001 season.
2. Men’s Lacrosse vs. Cornell (May 9, 2010)
Eight days after suffering a 10-9 loss to Cornell, the men’s lacrosse team returned to Ithaca, N.Y., for another shot at the Big Red, the team that dashed the Tigers’ NCAA title hopes last season in the quarterfinals. As it has many times this year, Princeton dug itself into a hole early on and trailed, 7-3, late in the third quarter. But in the best second-half comeback of the 2010 season thus far, the Tigers triumphed in dramatic fashion. Junior attackman Jack McBride dodged from behind the Cornell cage to score the game-winning goal with one second remaining in the first overtime, lifting Princeton to a 10-9 win in the final of the inaugural Ivy League tournament. The victory also gave the Tigers the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, where it will host Notre Dame in the opening round on Sunday.
1. Men’s Water Polo vs. Loyola Marymount (Dec. 6, 2009)
The men’s water polo team solidified its place in Princeton history by upsetting Loyola Marymount 6-5 in the consolation match of the NCAA Final Four, as it was the first NCAA victory in program history. The Tigers, who captured the Eastern Championships two weeks prior by overcoming archrival Navy, fell in the first round of the Final Four to No. 1 University of Southern California and, as the only squad not hailing from California, were expected to place last. But a relentless offense led by senior attack Mark Zalewski, a staunch defensive stance in the fourth quarter and an outstanding effort between the posts by junior goalkeeper Mike Merlone allowed the Tigers to hang on for an emotional win. The significance of the victory was aptly appreciated by the rowdy capacity crowd at DeNunzio Pool.
Read More
Preview: Football names captains and looks ahead to their first game
Lily PampolinaPrinceton football kicks off their season Saturday at noon at home against University of San Diego. The team hopes to get back on track after a disappointing season last year.
Princeton football kicks off their season Saturday at noon at home against University of San Diego. The team hopes to get back on track after a disappointing season last year.
By the Numbers: Goals and medals for the Tigers’ start to the fall
Harrison BlankThis week in By the Numbers, women’s cross country took first in their first two meets, led by sophomore Meg Madison. Amid these accomplishments, the Tigers won over three-fifths of their games and had winning records both at home and on the road.
This week in By the Numbers, women’s cross country took first in their first two meets, led by sophomore Meg Madison. Amid these accomplishments, the Tigers won over three-fifths of their games and had winning records both at home and on the road.
Late goals lift men’s soccer past University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2–0
Harrison Blank and Matthew YiMen’s soccer overcame a slow start to beat the Minutemen.
Men’s soccer overcame a slow start to beat the Minutemen.