Men's Water Polo: Saturday doubleheader key to conference championship hopes

When the men’s water polo team played Navy in the Eastern Championships last year, it was for a berth to the NCAA Final Four. This time, Princeton’s undefeated conference record is on the line.

This Saturday will be a busy but typical day for Princeton as it heads into the last stretch of league play.

No. 17 Princeton (10-5 overall, 4-0 College Water Polo Association Southern Division) will play Johns Hopkins (9-9, 1-2) at noon in DeNunzio Pool and then host No. 19 Navy (16-5, 3-1) at 7 p.m. the same evening.

Princeton has already faced both teams less than a month ago. The Tigers pulled out two close victories on Sept. 25 by defeating Navy 7-6 and winning in overtime against Johns Hopkins 10-9.

“We had some chances at separating and we just didn’t finish it, and that’s the most important thing to work on,” head coach Luis Nicolao said.

The Tigers hope to duplicate that September performance for the second time this season.

“Right now it’s just finishing opportunities when we have them. We’re not capitalizing on some fast breaks, some 6-on-5’s, that we got to get better at putting some shots away so we can make some games easier to win,” Nicolao said.

Navy, one of the higher-ranked teams Princeton plays in conference games, will not make it an easy weekend.

“They’re always a great matchup for us,” Nicolao said. “I don’t really think there’s really one specific thing that’s difficult. I just know it’s going to be a battle and we just have to play the best we can to get a chance to win.”

Navy’s only conference loss so far this season has been to Princeton, with the Tigers coming back from a three-point deficit to score four consecutive goals late in the second half to win.

Princeton also sealed its berth in the final four last year with a one-goal win over Navy.

Johns Hopkins will also be looking for revenge after Princeton pulled yet another comeback to eke out a win in Baltimore in the teams’ previous game. Hopkins watched its one-goal lead disappear as the game went into overtime, when sophomore center defender Jack Ruth scored the game-winning goal.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

“We’ve been working on our power play man-up situation, just trying to get better at putting opportunities away when we have a man-up,” Nicolao said. “Against Hopkins we’re just trying to get better at controlling the tempo and if we can convert on our 6-on-5’s, that really goes a long way on getting the victory.”

The difference between these encounters and Princeton’s previous games against its Maryland opponents is that Navy and Johns Hopkins will be facing a more confident and cohesive team.

“As a group we’ve gotten better,” Nicolao said. “As the season’s progressed we’ve gotten much better as a group teamwork-wise and play well together and are getting more confident in the water. Right now it’s all about staying healthy.”

Additionally, Princeton will be hosting the two teams at home in DeNunzio instead of having to compete on the road in Baltimore and then immediately afterwards traveling to Annapolis, Md., to meet Navy.

With a strong 7-4 win over Bucknell behind the performance of senior goalie and co-captain Mike Merlone — recently named Southern Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season — Princeton has strong momentum going into this weekend.

“Our strength right now is our defense,” Nicolao said. “We’re playing really well defensively. Mike Merlone is playing great in the cage. The key to all our wins has been the way we play defense.”

After Saturday, the Tigers will only have two more conference games, and two wins this weekend will keep Princeton undefeated within the conference and on track for a No. 1 seed in the Southern Division Championships.