The No. 4 Princeton men’s lacrosse team (3–1, 0–0 Ivy League) ended a successful early-season gauntlet on a high note this weekend, facing two top-ten opponents and coming out with victories in both games. The Tigers began the weekend with a Friday night game against the No. 9 Duke Blue Devils (5–1, 0–0 ACC), earning a tight win in Durham, N.C. The Tigers followed that performance up with a win on Sunday at No. 6 University of North Carolina (4–1, 0–0 ACC), completing the sweep over the two North Carolina squads.
Tigers beat Blue Devils in tight contest
On a high-stakes Friday night in Durham, No. 4 men’s lacrosse delivered a statement win, barely beating No. 9 Duke in a thrilling 15–14 battle. The Tigers, coming off a tough loss to No. 1 Maryland, bounced back in a major way, proving they can go toe-to-toe with the best teams in the nation.
Princeton’s depth and offensive firepower were on full display, with 10 different players finding the back of the net. The Tigers’ returning core — which includes all three starting attackers, their top face-off specialist, and nearly 90 percent of last year’s scoring potential — stepped up in crucial moments to seal the victory.
Princeton wasted no time setting the tone offensively, consistently putting pressure on Duke’s goalie, but not being able to get a ball in the net until the 4:26 mark in the first. The Tigers struck behind senior attacker Coulter Mackesy, who entered the night with 12 goals in just three games. Mackesy, who would later reach 200 career points, led the charge early alongside sophomore attackers Colin Burns and Nate Kabiri.
Duke responded by dominating the time of possession early, exposing some struggles for Princeton in face-offs. Junior midfielder Andrew McMeekin won just two of his first nine face-offs, allowing Duke to build momentum and take a brief lead.
The game remained tight throughout the second quarter, with Princeton winning the quarter in goals scored, 7–5. Princeton’s midfield, which was shut out in the season opener against Penn State, came alive, scoring seven goals on the night. One of the defining plays of the first half came from sophomore short-stick defensive midfielder Jackson Green, who bulldozed a Duke defender before finishing a goal to put Princeton up by two.
Sophomore midfielder Carson Krammer, who missed all of last season due to injury, had his best performance of the year, scoring two goals — his first career multi-goal game.
Coming out of the break with a 9–7 lead, Princeton’s offense found another gear. The Tigers rattled off a series of quick goals, capitalizing on McMeekin’s turnaround at the face-off X. After his slow start, the sophomore won six straight face-offs, giving Princeton valuable extra possessions.
Mackesy, already climbing Princeton’s all-time scoring charts, continued to put his stamp on the game. His 135th career goal moved him into third place on the school’s all-time list, inching closer to legends Jesse Hubbard ’98 (163) and Chris Massey ’98 (146).
The highlight of the night came at the start of the fourth quarter, when Burns produced a moment of brilliance. The sophomore attacker pulled off an impressive behind-the-back goal, faking out the Duke goalie and sending Princeton’s bench into a frenzy. The play was later featured as the No. 4 play on SportsCenter’s Top 10, adding to the growing list of highlight-reel goals from this Princeton squad.
But Duke refused to go quietly. The Blue Devils clawed their way back, cutting Princeton’s lead to one in the final minute. With 19 seconds left, the game came down to a final face-off. McMeekin delivered in the clutch, winning the draw and allowing Princeton to drain the clock for a massive victory.
“A lot of people stepped up to make this weekend a success, coaching staff, trainers, et cetera,” Mackesy told The Daily Princetonian. “We’re gonna use that momentum building into the Mistral Cup.”
Princeton’s depth, experience, and star power give them the tools to contend at the highest level. With nine returning starters from last year’s Ivy League championship team, a dominant attack, and a midfield finding its rhythm, this team has aspirations that extend far beyond the regular season. The win over Duke was a major step — but for Princeton, it’s just the beginning.
Tiger magic continues against UNC
Despite a back and forth affair and some early offensive struggles for Princeton, the Tigers pulled out a gutsy win in a 14–12 thriller at Dorrance Field against the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. Princeton played clean lacrosse, dominating in the turnover margin and taking advantage of their extra-man opportunities, propelling the Orange and Black to victory.
After early goals from first-year attacker Peter Buonanno and Kabiri, the score stalled at 2–1, in large part due to the stellar goalkeeping display on both sides. Former Princeton goaltender Michael Gianforcaro played an inspired game against his ex-teammates. The Tigers had 48 percent of their shots on goal saved by Gianforcaro, with 10 of his 13 stops coming in the first half.
“It looked weird seeing [Gianforcaro] in a different uniform, but out on the field it felt like another practice,” Mackesy stated. “We battled everyday for three years so it was fun to play against him in a real game.”
North Carolina’s offense went on a three-goal flurry to end the second quarter, putting the Tigers behind for the first time all game. The Orange and Black trailed heading into the locker room, falling behind 5–4 at the half.
Despite an early Tar Heel goal coming out of half time, Princeton found the back of the net twice to tie the score at 6–6 just five minutes into the third quarter. This would mark the beginning of a thrilling, back and forth second half in Chapel Hill.
Just under a minute later, North Carolina re-established its two goal lead at 8–6. However the Orange and Black answered with four straight goals, taking a 10–8 advantage in the closing stages of the third quarter. Princeton’s four-goal run was fueled by Mackesy and junior attacker Chad Palumbo. Mackesy had a goal and an assist in that stretch while Palumbo had two goals of his own, capping off the third quarter scoring behind the back on an extra-man opportunity.
Although the Tar Heels dominated the faceoff battle, winning 84 percent of second-half faceoffs, Princeton’s defensive prowess helped the Tigers find success in the latter stages of the game. Princeton forced eight second-half turnovers, alongside junior goaltender Ryan Croddick’s eight critical second-half saves.
“We valued the ball very well against UNC, trying not to settle for weak shots and having unforced turnovers,” Mackesy said. “We stayed the course and relied on our preparation.”
The two teams traded leads late into the game, giving Princeton a slim 11–10 advantage with seven minutes left. Then, Palumbo provided the Princeton faithful with a candidate for goal of the season; the junior slipped around four Tar Heel defenders before sneaking the ball past Gianforcaro and giving the Tigers a 12–10 lead.
Although North Carolina would once again tie the contest at 12–12, it was Palumbo again who stepped up for the Tigers in his stellar four goal, one assist performance. With under three minutes to play, the junior attacker scored his final goal of the game before short–stick defensive midfielder Jackson Green put the icing on the cake to seal a 14–12 Princeton victory.
“Chad was huge for us today … it was just a matter of time until his shots started to fall,” Mackesy noted. “Super proud of him for stepping up when we needed him.”
This was a huge win for the Tigers in a weekend that is sure to put college lacrosse on notice. Princeton now has three top–10 wins in its first four games, riding a wave of momentum they’re sure to carry into Ivy League play.
The Tigers will host in-state rival Rutgers (3–3, 0–0 Big Ten) on Saturday, March 8 in what is set to be an raucous environment at Sherrerd Field.
Lucas Nor is a Sports contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Lucas Denault is a Sports contributor for the 'Prince.'
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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