Four Ivy League teams rank among the nation’s top 20 according to both the Inside Lacrosse and the U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Coaches polls. Surely Princeton, a school nearly as reputable for lacrosse prowess as for academic excellence, is among this elite cadre. Not this year. Cornell, Harvard, Penn and Yale have all found their respective ways into the rankings. As the past few years have evidenced, nothing can be taken for granted in college lacrosse.
The last few Orange and Black campaigns, led by some of the nation’s most outstanding players and coaches, seem to have left potential unfulfilled. This season, expectations for the Tigers are somewhat murky following a mediocre 7-6 finish (2-4 in conference play) and the loss of a once-in-a-generation talent.
Two-time Tewaaraton Trophy finalist — the award is annually given to the nation’s most outstanding college lacrosse player — Tom Schreiber ’14 graduated last spring and took his near-boundless talents to Major League Lacrosse’s Ohio Machine. How will Princeton replace this consistent and prolific offensive production?
“It’s a natural question based on how much Tom impacted the game,” head coach Chris Bates responded. “There’s going to be a redistribution of the ball, meaning more guys are going to step up.”
Bates, who enters his sixth season at the helm with a record of 42-32, pointed to his team’s second through fourth-ranked scorers from last season: the midfield tag team of senior captain Kip Orban and junior Jake Froccaro, and a dynamic attack duo of senior Mike MacDonald and junior Ryan Ambler.
Senior midfielder Will Rotatori, a convert from attack, highlighted the potential for increased dynamism in a new offense.
“We see it as a positive for us now that more people can contribute,” Rotatori explained. “When Tom was on the field, you would just give him the ball. But now, we have to play more as a team. Coach Matt Madalon, our offensive coordinator, has given us a new offensive set on top of our old two man game.”
Last Saturday’s 14-4 drubbing of Manhattan at 1952 Stadium, which included a 5-0 first quarter run by the Tigers, showcased an evolved Princeton offense. Seven different players scored for the home side in a truly dominant showing, including first time goal scorers Bear Altemus and Gavin McBride, both sophomore midfielders, and Adam Hardej, a sophomore attackman.
Hardej, listed at 6’ 6” and 225 lbs., transitions from midfield to attack for his sophomore campaign. His size and powerful shot will certainly cause nightmares for opposing coaches and defensemen.
“The main thing for him is that he has to realize that nobody can stop him,” Rotatori explained. “If he plays with that confidence and swagger, the veterans on attack, MacDonald and Ambler, will set him up all day.”
On the other side of the ball, Princeton will look to shore up its defense under new coordinator Dylan Sheridan. The Claremont McKenna graduate has migrated east from Denver, Colo. where he coached the Pioneers defense under former Princeton skipper Bill Tierney.
“He’s a very good teacher,” Bates said of the new hire. “Our guys have responded very well to him as a leader. He’s been a part of final four teams three of the last four years. It’s been pretty seamless, so I’ve been very pleased with that. The on-field stuff is a little bit of a work in progress, getting young faces acclimated, but on the whole it’s been very positive.”
Senior goalkeeper Eric Sanschagrin will start between the pipes. Despite his four years of experience, he has started only 10 games during his collegiate career. Nonetheless, his early season performances have been impressive both in terms of ball-stopping and leadership.
In front of Sanschagrin, junior defender Mark Strabo will continue to take on opponents’ toughest offensive matchups. Sophomore Bear Goldstein joins Strabo at close defense.
Regaining the conference championship will be no small task for the Tigers. Cornell’s Big Red boasts both the 2015 Ivy League Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year in goalkeeper Christian Knight and senior midfielder Connor Buczek. On the whole, only the overpowered Atlantic Coast Conference provides more consistent competition than the Ivy League.
In 2014, Princeton ranked second among conference foes in goals per game with 12 (just behind the Big Red’s 12.75) but second-to-last in goals allowed with 10.85 (ahead of Dartmouth’s Swiss-cheese like 13.33). The Tigers’ clearest statistical advantage is in ball security. For the second straight year they turned over the ball over at an Ivy League-low rate of 12.1 times per game (the second lowest was Dartmouth with 17.25). Yet, the Tigers also created the league’s fewest turnovers and collected a league-low ground balls.
This Friday, No. 19 Hofstra will travel to Sherrerd Field to take on Princeton. This game and this college lacrosse season promises to be another exciting gauntlet. What’s more, it just might be the year of the Tiger.
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