No. 3 men’s lacrosse (0–0 overall, 0–0 Ivy League) will open their 2026 season on Saturday at noon on Sherrerd Field, hosting No. 14 Penn State (1–1, 0–0 Big Ten) in an early-season showdown.
The Tigers will look to fulfill their national title aspirations, and Saturday marks their first opportunity to establish momentum and defend home turf against a ranked opponent. With a talented core and high expectations, Princeton will look to set the tone early on both ends of the field.
Penn State enters the matchup at 1–1, most recently losing to Villanova in its second game of the season. In what looks to be a fast-paced contest, the Tigers will aim to capitalize on their home-field advantage and open the season with a statement victory.
Princeton 15, Penn State 12 — Cadigan Perriello, assistant Sports editor
After an impressive 2025 season, ending with a 13–4 overall record, the Princeton Men’s Lacrosse team looks to immediately show their presence on a national stage with their home opener against Penn State. If this game shows any similarities to last year’s matchup against the Lions, the fans are in for a thriller. With an 11–10 overtime victory last year, the Tigers showed clear dominance of both sides of the field with a stunning 21-save debut from now-senior goalie Ryan Croddick.
Princeton will need to bring the same determination this weekend to live up to their pre-season spot at No. 2 in the country in an Inside Lacrosse poll. The single-goal matchup last year reflects the heated rivalry between the two teams, with Penn State closely trailing Princeton in the pre-season rankings at No. 7. Princeton will need to remain composed throughout the game, setting an immediate precedent on attack. After an early lead in last year’s game, the Tigers secured the win through a unified defensive presence.
The Tigers will ensure a strong start if they utilize their fast-paced, coordinated, and high-percentage plays. With senior midfielder Chad Palumbo and Croddick named to the Tewaaraton Award Preseason Watchlist on Tuesday, Princeton has high expectations for success coming into the matchup.
During Saturday’s matchup, look for high energy from both sides of the field. The Lions and Tigers have spent months training to finally get on the field, which will result in an intense game full of passion, intensity, and strategy. Through the returning strength and the new talent, the Tigers will end on top 15–12, looking forward to an exciting season.
Princeton 19, Penn State 12 — Hayk Yengibaryan, senior Sports writer
After a heartbreaking end to the 2025 season, the Tigers are going to look to start their 2026 campaign with a statement win against one of last year’s semifinalists.
Through its first two games, the Nittany Lions have struggled on the defensive end, giving up 14 goals apiece to No. 16 Villanova and unranked Colgate. This is not a recipe for success, especially against a Tiger attack that returns many of its key contributors from last year.
The trio up top, featuring junior attackers Nate Kabiri and Colin Burns and sophomore attacker Peter Buonanno, will cause problems for Penn State. I expect Buonanno — who finished with three goals and three assists in the NCAA quarterfinal game against Syracuse — to start right where he left off and solidify himself as one of the top attackers in the Ivy League.
Look for senior face-off specialist Andrew McMeekin to win the battle at midfield over the visitors’ face-off specialists, Colby Baldwin and Reid Gills, and give the hosts extra possessions. The Tigers may give up more goals than they’d like, since this is a defensive unit with new pieces and it will take some time for them to gel.
However, expect offensive coordinator Jim Mitchell and his crew to be firing on all cylinders on the other end of the field as the Orange and Black get off to a 1–0 start at Sherrerd Field.
Cadigan Perriello is an assistant Sports editor for the ‘Prince.’
Hayk Yengibaryan is a head News editor emeritus and senior Sports writer for the ‘Prince.’ He is from Glendale, Calif. and typically covers breaking news and profiles. He can be reached at hy5161[at]princeton.edu.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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