Men’s soccer defeats St. Joe’s 6–3, begins Ivy League play on Saturday

Men’s soccer (5–2, 0–0 Ivy League) defeated Saint Joseph’s University (4–6) on Tuesday 6–3, their last game before the Ivy League season starts. The six goals scored collectively by first-year forward Walker Gillespie, sophomore defender and midfielder Ryan Clare, sophomore forward Truman Gelnovatch, and junior forward Jonah Lytle are the most the Tigers have scored in a single game since their 7–3 victory over Seton Hall in 2011.

St. Joe’s had the first shot of the game three minutes in, after Alex Hartmann’s header went over the Tigers’ goal. The two teams battled for possession until the 14th minute, when junior midfielder Frankie DeRosa had a chance on goal but went wide. A minute later, however, Gillespie received the ball in the box from junior midfielder and forward Kevin O’Toole and scored Princeton’s first point of the game. O’Toole had a chance of his own in the 17th minute with a free kick from outside St. Joe’s box, but it was saved by keeper Joseph Boehm.

Ryan Clare scored the Tigers’ second point a minute after one of his shots was deflected by St. Joe’s keeper. After Princeton failed to convert senior defender Cole Morokhovich’s corner kick, Clare went one-on-one with the goalie, successfully getting around him for the open goal.

In the 31st minute, Walker was assisted with a “nice flip” from Clare, bringing the score to 3–0. The half ended with the Tigers up three and the Hawks having made six substitutions.

Seven minutes into the second half, St. Joe’s responded to the Tigers’ dominance with their first goal of the game after a Princeton defender hit the ball off the goalpost and it was deflected back into the middle for Daryus Lake. Princeton responded quickly, and two minutes later Gelnovatch made it 4–1 with an assist from Frankie DeRosa’s “beautiful through-ball.” Three minutes later, Gelnovatch had his second goal of the game, this time with the assist from Clare, bringing the score to 5–1.

A goal from St. Joe’s in the 68th minute was met with the Tigers’ sixth point four minutes later after Jonah Lytle converted a ball from Clare — Lytle’s first goal of his career at Princeton. The final goal of the game came from the Hawks in the 77th minute, and the game finished 6–3.

Princeton finished with eight shots on target compared to St. Joe’s four. The Hawks out-fouled the Tigers 13–11, but no cards were awarded this game.

The team will head to Dartmouth (3–3–1, 0–0 Ivy) this weekend for its first Ivy League game of the season. Princeton leads the all-time series 39–23–9 but it could be a tough game — last year the Tigers defeated the Big Green in double overtime after a contentious game. Saturday’s game is a must win for the team if they want a repeat championship season.