A way games in stadiums teeming with screaming, hostile fans. Most coaches expect to prepare their teams for such an unfriendly environment at least a few times during the regular season.
In 1997, men's heavyweight crew went undefeated in the regular season for the first time since 1881 and won Eastern Sprints by an open water margin.
Repeated success is often difficult to live up to, but for women's crew, it has become a permanent part of the program.
The women's lacrosse team's early-season schedule has been full of tough opponents. During the first week of the regular season, Princeton defeated three teams of national prominence, the margins of victory becoming increasingly narrow with each game.One can only imagine, then, the relief the Tigers felt as they cruised through the second half of their 17-1 demolition of Columbia yesterday in New York, the game's final minutes proving to be nothing more than a formality.Unlike the game against Georgetown, Princeton (4-0 overall, 1-0 Ivy League) needed no help from the posts as its trio of goaltenders ? sophomore Laura Field, junior Amber Mettler and sophomore Michelle Leong ? had little trouble shutting down the Lions' attack. EverestThe Tigers could also have survived without a huge game from junior midfielder Cristi Samaras, but Princeton was more than happy to have its top scorer in peak form.
When the sports editor from The Michigan Daily called the 'Prince' sports office the other day, it didn't surprise me.
After a successful indoor season in which both the men's and women's track and field teams won the Heptagonal Championships ? a feat last accomplished in 1981 ? the Tigers hope to produce similar results this spring.In order to prepare for the Ivy League outdoor season, Princeton traveled down to Florida International University in Miami this past weekend for the Adidas Invitational.The trip was the Tigers' first outdoor track and field competition of the season, and individuals fared well.The women took four first places and eight second places, while the men also had four top finishes and two seconds.In the 1,500 meters, junior Betsy Packard and sophomore Sarah Hendricks finished first and second, respectively, and sophomore Karen O'Neil ran the 3,000 in 10 minutes, 49.52 seconds, good for second place. In the airIn the field events, sophomore Shawneequa Callier topped her competition with a leap of 1.78 meters in the high jump, while junior Cecily Wilson triumphed in the long jump with classmate Aiyanna Burton right behind.On the men's side, several All-Ivy selections from the indoor season surfaced in the Florida sun looking up to form.Junior Justin Niedzialek finished second in the 5,000 with a time of 15:08.90, while sophomore Mich-ael Spence managed a fourth-place finish in the same event.Junior Dan Shimooka captured the top spot in the pole vault and junior Royce Reed was the top finisher in the javelin throw.
The baseball team has had no luck with the weather this season. First, it had five of 10 games cancelled over its spring trip to North Carolina last week.
Playing against new opponents and at new sites produces a sense of experimentation.On its recent West Coast excursion, the men's golf team found itself able to play consistently on championship courses.
Following the men's lacrosse team's 9-7 loss to Virginia March 7, head coach Bill Tierney spoke of a forthcoming "rededication of Princeton lacrosse." Considering that the Virginia game was the Tigers' first loss in almost two years, there was no need for Princeton to undergo a complete overhaul.Tierney, however, sensed that certain changes needed to be made, and his major adjustment involved the faceoff specialists.
After five long months of winter, the men's tennis team emerged from its hibernation deep inside Jadwin Gym to once again return outdoors.Over spring break the Tigers travelled to someplace warm ? sunny California ? to escape the wintertime blues.The trip was not meant for relaxation.
It is often said that the posts are a goaltender's best friend. If sophomore netminder Laura Field didn't already believe in this adage, she certainly does now.With time running out in women's lacrosse's 6-5 victory over Georgetown Saturday, Princeton was on its heels.
With the loss of several key players from last season, the softball team headed to South Carolina with several questions to answer.How would the team respond to the loss of arguably the greatest hitter in Princeton history, Mandy Pfeiffer '97.
If conventional wisdom proves right, the women's water polo team should occupy one of the top four spots in the Collegiate Water Polo Association's Mid-Atlantic division.
When the women's tennis team entered the break, it was not really worried about winning all five of its matches.
The glass slipper just didn't fit, as the women's hockey team was unable to pull a second straight upset in its would-be Cin-derella run through the Eastern College Athletic Conference championships.After downing second-seeded Northeastern, 3-2, March 7, the seventh-seeded Tigers (12-16-2 overall, 8-13-1 ECAC) were unable to knock off top-ranked New Hampshire, March 14, falling to the Wildcats, 7-2, in Boston.This time, Princeton was overwhelmed by a very good UNH (29-4-3, 18-1-3) team.
HARTFORD, Conn. ? Coming off a convincing win over UNLV March 12, the men's basketball team was set to face another big, physical team in Michigan State in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Just in case you thought that the men's lacrosse team's first loss in two years (to Virginia) March 7, indicated the team was in trouble or the program had taken a step back, you need not worry.
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. ? A season of disappointment, a tournament of impossibility, but in the end, a celebration of the unbelievable ? a championship.In the arena where 18 years ago another underdog hockey team leaped into the national spotlight by winning a game in which no one gave them a chance, the men's hockey team (18-10-7 overall, 7-9-6 Eastern College Athletic Conference) defeated Clarkson (23-8-3, 16-4-2), 5-4, in double overtime to capture the ECAC tournament and earning Princeton an automatic bid to its first-ever NCAA tournament.Just 42 seconds into the second overtime, junior forward Syl Apps scooped up a loose puck in front of the Princeton bench and went on a solo breakaway down the ice with two Golden Knight defenders in pursuit. Game-winnerFrom the left side of the net, Apps flipped a shot over Clarkson goalie Dan Murphy's left shoulder.
For the baseball team, the spring break training trip is typically a time to work out the kinks and solidify the lineup.
HARTFORD, Conn. ? Everyone in the Hartford Civic Center knew it was coming. Princeton knew it.
