Men's Soccer: Tigers resume Ivy chase on own turf

Opportunities in the Ivy League are slowly running out for the men’s soccer team, but the Tigers hope to continue their recent success at Roberts Stadium in the game against Columbia this Saturday.

While the Tigers (3-7-1 overall, 0-2 Ivy League) have spent most of their season on the road and faced some disappointing games, their four home contests have yielded a total of seven goals, an average of 1.67 goals per home game. That number pales in comparison to last year’s overall 2.20 goals per home game average, but nonetheless, the Tigers still seem to have a scoring advantage at Roberts Stadium, as all three shutouts have come on the road.

The Lions (4-6-1, 1-1) have been at home for all of their victories, with the exception of their very first game of 2011 against Fairfield. Columbia has perhaps struggled even more than the Tigers when traveling, scoring just an average of 0.40 goals per game away from home.

Entering the game on Saturday with a different mentality and momentum may also work in the Tigers’ favor. While the Tigers have struggled recently, suffering through a four-game losing streak and road losses to both Dartmouth and Brown, Princeton’s wins against Seton Hall on Oct. 4 and against Lafayette on Tuesday have perhaps begun a new narrative for the team.

Junior forward Matt Sanner sealed the Tigers’ win against Lafayette in the 24th minute of the game just after junior defender and captain Mark Linnville’s second assist across the box. Sophomore midfielder Chris Benedict had previously found the net after a Linnville assist in the sixth minute of the game.

Sanner commented after Tuesday’s win that he was excited to again “follow [his] normal routine” in preparation for Saturday night’s game against Columbia. “It will be great to play at home,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about changing your flow or your routine as you do when you travel.”

Princeton and Columbia have played three common opponents this season — Monmouth, Seton Hall and Brown. The Tigers defeated Seton Hall in South Orange, N.J., last week with a final score of 7-3, the first time Princeton had scored seven goals in a single game since 1995. However, the Tigers fell to both Monmouth and Brown by one-goal differentials. Columbia beat the Bears by a single goal, but lost 1-0 to the other two teams.

Although Princeton went undefeated in the Ivy League during the 2010 season while Columbia finished 2-3-2, the two teams enter this year’s match with fairly even stats. Columbia is currently ranked sixth in Ivy League men’s soccer standings, while Princeton is tied for seventh. The Tigers will need to capitalize on their home-field advantage in order to finish the season in a favorable spot in the Ivy League.