On Tuesday, No. 6 Princeton (10–1–2 overall, 4–0–0 Ivy League) and No. 2 Bryant (13–0–2, 4–0) drew 0–0 at Roberts Stadium. A highly anticipated matchup, the game was a well-fought battle with several chances from both sides.
It is a golden time for the Tigers. Having surged to the top of the NCAA Division I Committee’s Top 16 last week, the Orange and Black was looking to add to their stellar performances this season. Bryant, ranked No. 2 by the United Soccer Coaches, would prove to be a strong side, yet it was the Tigers who largely dominated the Bulldogs, particularly in the second half.
Princeton started cautious, as Bryant controlled the early rhythm. The Tigers’ only notable chance in the first half came in the eighth minute, when senior midfielder Sam Vigilante managed a great shot on target that was just knocked away by the Bryant goalkeeper.
For the remaining 45 minutes, it was the Bulldogs who were threatening the Tigers, maintaining control of the ball and managing the Orange and Black’s high press well. However, despite having less possession of the ball, the Tigers capitalized when they had it, spending 77 percent of their possession in Bryant’s half compared to the Bulldogs’ 59 percent in Tiger territory.
Still, it was Bryant who had more to be pleased with as the referee blew the whistle for halftime, and the players headed into the locker rooms. They had dominated possession 68–32 percent and edged the Tigers one-to-none in shots on target and four-to-one in corners.
“I think in the first half, we were kind of feeling them out,” senior forward Daniel Ittycheria said to The Daily Princetonian after the game. “We have a lot of experience, but it was our first game playing a top team in the nation. So I think maybe we were a little in over our heads.”
The Tigers stormed onto the pitch after the break in high spirits and with a changed mentality. Two minutes into the second half, they had managed two corners, already more than the one corner they had earned in the entirety of the first half.
Just three minutes later, the Tigers were given a golden opportunity as senior defender Jack Jasinski played a brilliant through ball to junior forward Ian Nunez. His shot hit the side netting.
Another opportunity occurred in the 67th minute when Jasinski’s deep free kick eventually fell to Ittycheria, who volleyed the ball over the net. Two minutes later, the Tigers managed a brilliant quick passing sequence, allowing Ittycheria to drive the ball towards the net but couldn’t quite finish.
“I think we really took it to them in the second half,” Ittycheria told the ‘Prince.’ “We had really good chances to score, and as a forward, it’s super unlucky to not find the winner, but I’m proud of the guys. It felt like a high-level game.”
Princeton men’s soccer Head Coach Jim Barlow ’91 echoed Ittycheria’s sentiment.
“We actually thought we had a pretty good first half, but the second half was much better,” Barlow said to the ‘Prince.’ “I think it was because we did such a good job of competing for the first ball, getting numbers around it, scooping up the second ball, and then getting a pass out of that spot fast. And when we did that, we broke their pressure and got somewhere with it.”
Princeton’s back line, anchored by sophomore defender Dash Papez and first-year defender Frederik Sadjak kept play moving forward. Sadjak, in only his second start filling in for injured senior defender Giuliano Fravolini Whitchurch, played an excellent game and almost scored when a Tigers set piece resulted in him heading the ball, just missing the net.
The Tigers generated more chances late in the half, when first-year midfielder Tyler Vilet nearly punished a misplaced Bryant in the 81st minute. Perhaps the Orange and Black’s best chance of the game occurred with just three minutes left on the clock when junior midfielder Bardia Hormozi sent a shot just wide of the post.
At the end of the 90 minutes, the scoreline remained 0–0. The Tigers’ second-half dominance was clear: Princeton had managed 11 shots, whereas Bryant only had two.
“It’s a good result against a very strong team,” Barlow said. “We would have been really frustrated to drop that game.”
The atmosphere mattered. Roberts Stadium was packed with fans who were loud throughout the whole night — cheering, groaning, whistling, complaining. Members of the Princeton women’s soccer team and the Princeton men’s lacrosse team parked themselves near the Bryant goal and hollered at the visiting keeper on every goal kick, pickup, and even routine back-passes.
“It really reaffirms everything we think about our team, and it’s so awesome to see more of the community come,” Ittycheria said of the support. “It motivates us and energizes us in these games.”
Sophomore defender Roka Tsunehara, who was named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, also noted the team’s current high spirits given their recent performances.
“The whole team is so encouraging,” Tsunehara told the ‘Prince.’ “We’re really a family ... But not getting a win against a top side, especially when we felt like we were better, is kind of disappointing.”
Rankings aren’t everything. But with November just around the corner, it’s hard to imagine any limits to what the Tigers can accomplish this season.
Still, Barlow was clear about the team’s intentions.
“We’re not focused on the rankings,” he said. “Like every other team, we’re just trying to get better each day. We’re worrying about what we can control, and we can’t control any of that [the rankings], so we’re just going to enjoy it and keep trying to be as good as we can be.”
The Tigers’ next match is away at Yale (2-7-3 overall, 1-2-1 Ivy League) on Saturday. They will look to continue their perfect Ivy League form.
Kai Kim is a Sports contributor for the ‘Prince’.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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