June 5, 2019

LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT: The Princeton University men’s lightweight varsity eight displays its form in a recent race. Last Sunday, Princeton’s top boat took second in a thrilling grand final at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) national championship regatta in Sacramento, Calif. Turning the race into a nail-biter, the Tigers made a late surge and lost by just .4 seconds to champion Cornell as they earned silver at the IRAs for a second straight year. Princeton’s back-to-back medals are the first time the program has done that since 2009-10 when the Tigers won the varsity eight race both years. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

By Bill Alden

In mid-May, the Princeton University men’s lightweight varsity eight had a rough day at the Eastern Sprints, fading to fourth place in the grand final.

Last Sunday, Princeton’s top boat put that disappointment behind it, taking second in the grand final at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) national championship regatta on Lake Natoma in Sacramento, Calif.

This time, the Tigers surged to the finish, pushing past four boats as they nearly caught champion Cornell, finishing just .4 seconds behind the Big Red. Princeton clocked a time of 5:44.849 with Cornell just ahead in 5:44.426.

It marked the second straight silver medal at the IRA for the top boat and the first time Princeton had earned back-to-back medals at the competition since 2009-10 when the Tigers won the varsity eight race both years.

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ON COURSE: Members of the Princeton University men’s golf team enjoy the moment as they got ready to compete last month in the NCAA Athens Regional at the University of Georgia’s home course in Athens, Ga. The Tigers won the Ivy League Championship in late April to earn their first trip to the NCAA Regionals since 2013. Princeton ended up finishing 13th of 13 teams in Athens in a valuable learning experience for a young squad that brought a junior, three sophomores, and a freshman to Georgia. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

By Bill Alden

Will Green sensed that his Princeton University men’s golf team could do something special this spring, although he didn’t really have the numbers to back up that feeling. 

“I had been telling people all spring long we were going to win the Ivy title,” said Princeton head coach Green.

“It was based on a belief in the team we had. There wasn’t any reason for me to think that except I just really thought that we were going to play well.”

When the Tigers finished eighth in their Princeton Invitational in the final tune-up before the Ivy League Championships, Green’s vision looked like a pipe dream.

“After we got out of the Invitational, I was talking to some friends, saying ‘I don’t know how we can beat Yale, they are really good,’” recalled Green.

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By Bill Alden

Heading to Indianapolis last week to compete in the NCAA championship regatta, the Princeton University women’s open crew was primed to excel on the national stage.

“I thought our practices were going well between the Ivies and Indy,” said Princeton head coach Lori Dauphiny, whose varsity eight, second varsity eight, and varsity four had each placed first at the Ivy regatta on May 19 as the program qualified for the NCAA competition.

“We finished finals; it is always a delicate balance and I felt like we handled it very well. We were ready for Indy when we left.”

After a solid first day at the competition on Friday that saw the varsity 8 take first, the second varsity 8 take third and the four come in third in the their heats to advance straight to the semifinals, the Tigers didn’t handle things well a day later.

None of the three Princeton boats gained the top-three finish in the semis necessary to make the grand finals and compete for a national title.

“We expected more,” said Dauphiny. “When we went through the semis, I think all boats had hoped to make the grand final but especially the first varsity, they had the best chance. To fall short was challenging.”

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June 6, 2018

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Joe Schein, Princeton ’37, led the Old Guard, classes that graduated 66 years ago or more, at the start of this year’s Princeton University P-rade on Saturday afternoon during reunions weekend. The P-rade is traditionally led by the 25th reunion class, which this year suggested the change and followed right behind. (Photos by Charles R. Plohn)

May 2, 2018

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A cold, blustery day didn’t deter the thousands of visitors who came to downtown Princeton on Sunday to enjoy the Arts Council of Princeton’s 48th annual Communiversity ArtsFest. The festival featured more than 200 booths and a wide variety of art, food, and live entertainment. Participants share their favorite things about Communiversity in this week’s Town Talk on page 6 of this week’s Town Topics. (Photography by Erica Cardenas)

November 1, 2017

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The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) celebrated its 50th Anniversary on Saturday, October 28, with a gala, Dining by Design, at Princeton University’s Frick Chemistry Laboratory. The annual fall fundraiser supports the ACP’s community education programs for at-risk populations. The evening featured cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and small plates, party boards, a live auction, and dance performance by The Pennington Studio. Founding Director Anne Reeves was honored at the event, including a proclamation from Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert proclaiming October 28 “Anne Reeves Day.” Funds raised from Dining by Design support Reeves’ original vision for the organization in 1967 — accessibility to the arts for everyone, regardless of their economic circumstances.

 

August 22, 2017

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Citizens of Princeton gathered in Palmer Square to view and celebrate the first total solar eclipse visible on mainland US soil since 1979. The event was co-sponsored by the Princeton Public Library and Princeton University’s Astrophysical Science department. While the library was offering cookies, watermelon, and solar glasses, the Astrophysical Science department provided eclipse education, answered questions, and brought a telescope for the general public to look through.

October 1, 2016

#9

FORWARD PROGRESS: Princeton University men’s soccer player Greg Seifert tracks down a ball in a game last season. Senior star Seifert, who was recently moved to forward from defense, tallied a goal and an assist to help Princeton defeat Fairleigh Dickinson 3-1 last Saturday for its fourth straight win. The Tigers, now 4-2, play at Villanova on September 28 before hosting Dartmouth on October 1 in the Ivy League opener for both teams. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Greg Seifert distinguished himself as a dependable, rugged defender for the Princeton University men’s soccer team in his first three seasons with the program.

Seifert played in 43 games for Princeton from 2013-2015, making 23 starts, including 13 last season.

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September 28, 2016

#20

FAST TRACK: Princeton University football player Charlie Volker eludes a foe in recent action. Last Saturday at Lehigh, sophomore running back Volker, an Ivy League champion sprinter, rushed for a career-high 82 yards on 13 carries for three touchdowns but it wasn’t enough as Princeton fell 42-28 to the Mountain Hawks. The Tigers, now 1-1, will look to get back on the winning track when they play at Columbia on October 1 in the Ivy League opener for both teams. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Playing at Lehigh last Saturday, the Princeton University football team’s offense was clicking, moving effectively on the ground and through the air.

The Tigers rolled up 199 yards rushing and 243 yards passing, putting 28 points on the scoreboard.

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June 29, 2016

In his will, architect Michael Graves left three of his Princeton properties, including his Patton Avenue residence and studio, to Princeton University. But the University, where Mr. Graves taught for 39 years and was the Robert Schirmer Professor of Architecture, has rejected the gift due to the expenses involved in its preservation and maintenance.
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Since its inception 49 years ago, Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts has presented many fine string quartets. All-female quartets have been few and far between, and ensembles which can mesmerize an audience as well as the Aizuri Quartet are even rarer. The Summer Chamber Concerts opening event last Thursday night featuring the Aizuri Quartet brought a nearly full house to Richardson Auditorium to hear excellence in chamber music performance.
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July 3, 2013

According to the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ), the State of New Jersey violated the New Jersey Constitution and law against discrimination when it awarded taxpayer funds to Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS).

Describing PTS as “an institution of higher learning devoted solely to religious training and instruction,” the ACLU-NJ, together with the national ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, filed a lawsuit to stop the state from awarding PTS $645,323. The money is thought to have been requested for technology upgrades at the new PTS Library.

The lawsuit also aims to stop the state from granting $10.6 million to Beth Medrash Govoha, an orthodox Jewish rabbinical school in Lakewood, to pay for the construction of a new library and academic center. The all-male Orthodox Jewish school in Lakewood prepares students to become rabbis and religious educators. It was due to receive $10.6 million. Its courses of study are classified as “Theology/Theological Studies” or “Talmudic Studies.”

“The government has no business funding religious ministries,” said Ed Barocas, legal director of the ACLU of New Jersey. “Taxpayers should not foot the bill to train clergy or provide religious instruction, but the state is attempting to do exactly that.” He was expressing a view endorsed by Alex J. Luchenitser, associate legal director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, who said: “These grants plainly violate the separation of church and state enshrined in the New Jersey Constitution.”

The New Jersey Constitution forbids taxpayer funds from supporting ministries or places of worship.

On April 29, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s administration released a list of 176 college construction projects slated for state aid. Mercer County institutions would receive more than $95 million as part of a $1.3 billion package for 46 public and private colleges and universities statewide. Described as the “first concerted contribution to New Jersey’s higher education infrastructure in decades,” the money would come from the Building Our Future Bond Act ($750 million) that New Jersey voters approved in November as well as four other higher education funding programs: the Higher Education Capital Improvement Fund, the Higher Education Facilities Trust Fund, the Higher Education Technology Infrastructure Fund, and the Higher Education Equipment Leasing Fund.

State funding for PTS came under scrutiny when Trenton lawmakers met for a budget hearing in May. Secretary of Higher Education Rochelle Hendricks was questioned about the religious nature of the institution and the source of the funding. State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen), chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, was among those who queried the legality of the PTS funding source in the state’s Higher Education Technology Infrastructure Fund, which, it appears, can only go to state-funded institutions.

Institutions were required to present details of how projects served students and aligned with New Jersey’s workforce needs. According to the Governor’s Office the selected projects were those targeting academic programs, especially science, technology, engineering, and math.

Of the $6.4 million that Princeton University will receive, about $3.2 million will help fund construction of the new Andlinger Center for research on sustainable energy development and the environment. Princeton University was not eligible for funding from the higher education bond question in November because of its $17 billion endowment. The funding awarded to the University will come from the Higher Education Capital Improvement Fund.

Rider University’s $4.6 million will go to a new academic structure on the Westminster Choir College campus in Princeton that will feature a recital and rehearsal room, lobby, ticket booth, and multimedia classrooms.

The lawsuit was filed in Superior Court in Trenton by ACLU-NJ, the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of New Jersey (UULMNJ), and Gloria Schor Andersen of the Delaware Valley Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

“These grants fly in the face of important state safeguards that protect the religious liberty of all New Jersey taxpayers,” said Daniel Mach, director of the ACLU program on freedom of religion and belief.

Contacted for a response, PTS President The Reverend Dr. M. Craig Barnes said that he was unable to comment: “Our attorneys have left clear instructions that we cannot make any comments upon the ACLU lawsuit of the state.”

Dr. Barnes has led the seminary since January as its seventh president. A seminary alumnus, he graduated in 1981 with a Master of Divinity in 1981.

According to its mission statement, “Princeton Theological Seminary prepares women and men to serve Jesus Christ in ministries marked by faith, integrity, scholarship, competence, compassion, and joy, equipping them for leadership worldwide in congregations and the larger church, in classrooms and the academy, and in the public arena.” The Seminary has non-Christian students and joint degree programs with Princeton University and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Its students are able to take courses at both of these institutions.

—Linda Arntzenius

 
March 6, 2013
RENOVATIONS UNDERWAY: Almost six years after the staff of Town Topics moved from 4 Mercer Street to new quarters on Witherspoon Street, renovations are underway at the “old Town Topics Building,” that once housed Priest’s Drug Store (see front page) and was home to the staff of Town Topics newspaper for 57 years before the move to the current location at 305 Witherspoon Street.(Photo by L. Arntzenius)

RENOVATIONS UNDERWAY: Almost six years after the staff of Town Topics moved from 4 Mercer Street to new quarters on Witherspoon Street, renovations are underway at the “old Town Topics Building,” that once housed Priest’s Drug Store (see front page) and was home to the staff of Town Topics newspaper for 57 years before the move to the current location at 305 Witherspoon Street. (Photo by L. Arntzenius)

Readers of this newspaper often express curiosity about the building at 4 Mercer Street that has become known as the “old Town Topics building.”

Recent passersby will have noticed activity in preparation for the building’s renovation by its owner Princeton University. After being vacated by the newspaper’s staff almost six years ago, building work is now underway.

Speaking for the University, Kristin S. Appelget, director of community and regional affairs, said that the University is in the process of extensive interior and exterior renovations that will “provide a first floor office space for a yet to be determined University use and that the second and third floors will be three separate housing units comprising part of the University housing stock for faculty and staff.”

The front section will have apartments on its second and third floors and there will be a duplex in a three-story brick addition to the rear of the building that replaces a timber section that has been removed. This section was a later addition to the original 19th-century building. “It was removed last week and will be replaced by a new brick addition that will blend with the exterior brick and historic architectural elements,” said Ms. Appelget.

Blue Rock Construction is the general contractor for the project and the architects are HMR Architects of Princeton, on Alexander Road.

Ms. Appelget, who declined to divulge the cost of the renovation project, said that the work is expected to be completed by fall of this year.

The University’s plans for the building were approved by the Borough Zoning Board in 2010 at which time attorney Richard Goldman of Drinker Biddle & Reath explained that the University’s goal in renovating the structure was to “restore the building to its historical look.”

The building has been empty since 2007 when Town Topics newspaper, which had occupied the space since 1950, moved to a new location at 305 Witherspoon Street.

Although the building could be cold in the winter and steamy in the summer, its linoleum cracked and its paint peeling, it is fondly recalled by Town Topics staff members (including this reporter) who once worked there. While there is no one who can recall, as former owner, the late Jeb Stuart once did, the days of ticker-tape news releases and the “advances” of cold type, many at the paper today remember the newspaper’s infamous “wing mailer,” a mid-1940s labeling machine that was still in operation in the late 1990s.

The building’s location was perfect for covering town and gown and while the interior left much to be desired, the facade had charm.

The move coincided with the switch to digital production that replaced the -techniques of the -composing room where items were pasted by hand to create camera-ready-copy for delivery to the printer.

History

Over the years, the building, which dates to 1878, was used for businesses and apartments, until it was moved in 1914 some 60 feet back from its original Nassau Street location to make way for the war memorial. That’s when One Nassau became 4 Mercer. Priest’s Drug Store occupied the ground floor at that time and according to a contemporary account recorded in New Jersey Architecture by Susanne C. Hand, it was said that when the building was moved a glass of water on the counter didn’t spill a drop.

Priest’s remained in the building until 1944.

The newspaper was founded in 1946 by Princeton University graduates Donald Stuart and his brother-in-law Dan Coyle together with Don’s wife Emily, known as “Cissy,” and Dan’s wife Mary. In 1950, Town Topics moved into 4 Mercer Street.

The newspaper passed to Donald and Emily’s son Jeb in 1981. Town Topics continued as a family business until it was sold in 2001 to the current publisher Lynn Adams Smith, architects J. Robert Hillier and Barbara Hillier, and a small group of investors.

Ms. Smith had worked for Town Topics, and Jeb Stuart was convinced that she was the right person to take over the newspaper, with its loyal readership.

“It will be good to see this beautiful old building restored,” said Ms. Smith.

November 14, 2012

At an open forum this past Monday evening that focused on the search for Princeton University’s next president, members of the local governing bodies and a handful of community residents made clear their hopes for a leader with a heightened sensitivity to town/gown relations.

While all who spoke to eight representatives of the 17-member search committee expressed gratitude for the opportunity, few minced words when describing outgoing president Shirley Tilghman’s interactions with the local community. Ms. Tilghman, president of the University since 2001, announced her intention to step down at the end of the current academic year.

“Fear and intimidation has become a common theme on and off campus with the present administration,” said resident Joseph McGeady. “Tilghman apparently views the community only as an obstacle to the University’s plans.” Mr. McGeady was among the speakers who referred to a contentious Borough Council meeting in January, 2011, when Ms. Tilghman requested approval of the University’s plans for its Arts and Transit neighborhood. David Goldfarb, a former member of Borough Council, urged the committee to view a videotape of the meeting.

Led by University trustees Laura Forese ’83 and Kathryn Hall ’80, the forum was designed to hear input from local residents rather than to answer questions. Earlier in the day, the search was the topic at a gathering of the Council of the Princeton Community. Further meetings on the search are scheduled with members of the University faculty, staff, and students this week.

Resident Linda Sipprelle suggested that the new president come from the business world rather than academia. “An ideal candidate could be found among the many accomplished alumni of Princeton who have contributed to the success of business or finance,” she said. “A president with experience in the real world can best lead the University successfully into the 21st century both locally and nationally.”

Borough Council member Kevin Wilkes, who entered Princeton University in 1975, described the town of that time as very different from today. “The equilibrium has changed,” he said, referring to its metamorphosis from quiet college town to an “extraordinarily hyper” destination. “The new president should be aware and open to issues of growth,” he said. “Friction has developed as the University has grown. I would hope the new president would be open to mutual planning strategies.”

Borough resident Chip Crider, also a graduate of the University, said, “We need a new president who is the kind of guy who you’d invite over to your house if you were grilling. And we don’t have that.” He added, “The case can be made to get a president who didn’t come from an academic background. It should be someone who can get respect.”

Princeton mayor-elect Liz Lempert said she hoped the new president would be someone “interested in working on this relationship in earnest.” Princeton “could be a model for town/gown relations,” she added. “To have someone interested in engaging in that partnership is something I’d like to see.”

Borough Mayor and Princeton graduate Yina Moore described Ms. Tilghman’s attitude toward the community as “nothing but destructive” and said she “has expressed only a disdain for elected officials and the democratic process.” Ms. Moore was referring not only to the struggles over Arts and Transit, but also to a pending Assembly bill that would allow private universities and colleges to expand without municipal approval. A president who is “not dictating to the town, but in a relationship, a partnership, is much more what the community needs,” she said.

About 25 people attended the forum, which was held in a room in Robertson Hall. Bob Durkee, University vice-president and secretary, said the committee was prepared to move to a larger room if an overflow crowd had attended. While future forums are a possibility, the University is urging the public to express their views on the selection of a new president by logging onto the website princeton.edu/presidentialsearch.

“We’ve already had members of the community who have found their way to that website, and we hope more will,” he said Tuesday. “If we don’t see comments coming through, one option would be to have another conversation of this kind, or a more general one where community members and others will participate. Yesterday’s were the first. We’re just getting started and we’ll see how things go.”


October 24, 2012

Princeton University’s controversial arts and transit proposal was the topic of the Regional Planning Board’s meeting on October 18. This was round one of the discussion, which will continue on November 1 and allow members of the public an opportunity to voice their opinions about the project.

What makes it controversial is not the ambitious arts complex, which most members of the community favor. It is the aspect of the plan that involves moving the Dinky train station 460 feet south and turning the existing buildings into a restaurant and cafe. Planning Board and Borough Council member Jenny Crumiller’s frequent criticism of the move caused her to recuse herself from the proceedings last Thursday, a move which elicited debate at the start of the meeting.

Ms. Crumiller recused herself under the doctrine of “pre-judgment,” and on the advice of planning board lawyer Allen Porter. She expressed regret that she would not be taking part in the discussion. Planning Board members Marvin Reed and [Borough Mayor] Yina Moore questioned the decision. “I don’t know how we can be engaged in the public process as public officials or volunteers without the clash of opinions,” Mr. Reed said. His statement was applauded by members of the audience.

Attorney Bruce Afran, who represents members of the community opposed to the Dinky move, also protested. He suggested that the board take a vote on the question, but they did not. “This process taints the record very severely,” he said, eliciting more applause.

Once the University’s presentation got underway, details of the project’s four interconnected arts buildings, landscaping, new train station and Wawa buildings, traffic studies, sustainability, and other aspects were laid out. University Vice President and Secretary Bob Durkee introduced “a carefully engineered and highly integrated project,” saying it “attempts to address a number of community needs, as it also attempts to address one of the University’s highest priorities.”

Opponents to the move of the Dinky station fear that it will decrease ridership and cause the eventual phasing out of the service. Mr. Durkee said the plan “will enhance the Dinky experience and encourage more riders. The Dinky station is right in the middle of this plan and we have no intention to move it again,” he said. “More than half of Dinky riders are associated with the University, so we have a major stake in its viability.”

The four inter-connected buildings that are the core of the $300 million arts project were designed by Steven Holl, who called the effort “the most important project we have ever been involved in.” As described in detail by his colleague Noah Yaffe, the 139,000-square-foot Lewis Center for the Arts, which will include spaces for performances, rehearsals, and teaching, is “a very porous set of buildings” which will surround a new performing arts courtyard. “The space between the buildings is almost more important than the buildings themselves,” he said.

Matt Luck of Rick Joy Architects, which is designing the new train station and Wawa market and renovating the existing buildings into a restaurant and cafe, said the new building “is like the front porch of Princeton. It’s the first view they’ll have,” he said of those arriving at the Dinky terminus. The firm is trying to use local materials for every part of the new building. As for the new cafe in the old station building, he said very little work is planned. “I don’t even think we’ll have to repaint. When you have a resource like this, why would you mess with it?” he asked, causing more than one member of the audience to mutter, “Good question.”

Traffic engineer Georges Jacquemart said the project will create better traffic flow and a safer environment for vehicles and pedestrians. He estimated that the peak demand for parking spaces will not top 980, despite the fact that area venues could draw as many as 5,000 people if all were operating at one time.

Time was made at the end of the meeting for public comment by those who would not be able to return on November 1. First up was Emily Mann, artistic director of McCarter Theatre, which sits on the edge of the proposed project. Responding to questions she has been asked about how McCarter views the project, she described it as “an absolutely thrilling, exciting, awe-inspiring vision of what the arts can be.” She added that the project would be favorable even if it only meant that the train station buildings would be converted to a restaurant and cafe. As it stands, the project is a “gorgeous gift,” she said. “This is the confluence of arts, education, and community. It is a map for the future of this country and the arts in America.”

The only other speaker from the public was resident William Moody of Jefferson Road, who praised the arts project while expressing sadness that the Dinky would be moved as part of it. “Our ideas were not taken advantage of,” he said, complaining that the University did not listen to suggestions and reservations expressed by members of the community over the last few years. “Keeping the tracks where they are does not interfere with a single building you want to build,” he said. “Ninety-eight percent of what you want is fantastic …. I am really worried that this move is putting us into unnecessary jeopardy.”

The discussion ended at 11 p.m. It will continue on Thursday, November 1 at 7 p.m. at the Municipal Building, when more members of the public will have an opportunity to voice their views.


October 17, 2012

BROWN OUT: Princeton University defensive lineman Caraun Reid, right, corrals Brown quarterback Patrick Donnelly for one of his 2.5 sacks in Princeton’s 19-0 win over the Bears last Saturday. Senior star Reid was later named the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the victory, which was Princeton’s third straight and lifted the Tigers to 3-2 overall, 2-0 Ivy. Princeton now hosts defending champion and 22nd-ranked Harvard (5-0 overall, 2-0 Ivy) this Saturday in the program’s biggest game since its 2006 Ivy title campaign.
(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

When the players on the Princeton University football team convened this summer for their preseason camp, they were issued T-shirts saying “Believe.”

But after falling 17-14 at Lehigh and 21-20 to Georgetown in its first two games of the 2012 campaign, it was hard to believe that Princeton was any different from the teams that posted a combined  2-18 record over the last two seasons.

But then the Tigers rolled to a 33-6 rout at Columbia and followed that up with an impressive 35-14 win over Lafayette.

Last Saturday, the growing belief around the program officially turned to swagger as Princeton suffocated Brown 19-0 before a crowd of 6,482 at Princeton Stadium, stamping itself as a bona fide contender for the Ivy League title.

In handing Brown its first shutout since 1996 and snapping its Ivy record 162-game scoring streak, the Tigers improved to 3-2 overall and 2-0 in Ivy play, tied atop the league standings with Harvard (5-0 overall, 2-0 Ivy) and Penn (2-3 overall, 2-0 Ivy). Princeton hosts the defending champion and 22nd-ranked Crimson this Saturday in the program’s biggest game since its 2006 Ivy title campaign.

Senior star defensive lineman Caraun Reid exemplified Princeton’s self-belief as he reflected on the win over Brown.

“We kept the focus all game; there wasn’t a moment where we had to worry about what we were doing,” said Reid, who had a safety to go with six tackles and 2.5 sacks.

“We were confident from the get-go. We’re playing with an extra little bit of oomph today, which was great. That’s what we need to do. I feel like we just played well. This is what we’re supposed to do. At times, we made mistakes in other games that would cost us, but today we just played really well and it showed.”

The win was even sweeter considering that the Tigers had suffered some adversity during the week as star sophomore cornerback Khamal Brown was lost for the season with a head injury on Tuesday. Brown, who is still hospitalized, wore his game jersey in his hospital bed as he watched the NBC Sports Network broadcast of the contest.

Princeton head coach Bob Surace said the team’s support of Brown gave its post-game celebration a special feel.

“It’s just a real fun, emotional locker room,” said Surace, whose team outgained Brown 380 yards to 242 on the day.

“We’ve had a tough week. Khamal’s dad called Coach [Jim] Salgado and asked for his jersey to see if he could wear it in the hospital yesterday. Just to see our guys come together — they do it every day, but sometimes it takes something like adversity to show it to everybody else. I’ve been coaching and playing around my dad’s team, and you’re just so proud of these guys. I’ve never been more proud of a team than how we just came together this week and supported Khamal while at the same time handling our academic and football duties. It’ll be something we’ll all remember for a long time, and we’ll continue our prayers and support for him. I thanked the guys for everything they’d done.”

The Princeton defense certainly handled its business with aplomb, holding Brown to 17 yards rushing, producing six sacks, coming up with interceptions by Anthony Gaffney and Phil Bhaya, and a fumble recovery by Alex Polofsky in addition to the safety by Reid. The Tiger defense is now ranked first in the Ivies in total defense and scoring defense.

Reid, for his part, said the unit planned to pitch a shutout. “We are not really surprised (at shutout); this is what we expect to do,” asserted the 6’2, 305-pound Reid, a first-team All-Ivy performer last fall.

“Last week, we expected a shutout. There were little things we messed up on, but the expectation is to not let them score. We’ll force them to kick a field goal, then block the field goal. We’re not letting them score. This is what we want to do. This is what we’re supposed to do. We’re happy we’re at this point and we’re going to get better.”

A surprise play helped Princeton draw first blood in the contest as left tackle Spenser Huston gathered in a throwback from quarterback Connor Michelson and raced 15 yards for a touchdown with 4:09 remaining in the first quarter to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead.

Huston, for his part, was thrilled to hit paydirt. “This is my first touchdown at any level,” said the 6’4, 270-pound sophomore.

“I was definitely excited. I had the easiest job on the field. Connor threw a great ball, we blocked it perfectly. When I caught the ball, there was nothing but green grass in front of me, and it was a walk in there.”

After a Nolan Bieck field goal gave Princeton a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter, Reid came up with his scoring play. With Brown backed up at its own one-yard line after mishandling the kickoff, Reid swooped in and tackled Mark Kachmer in the end zone for a safety as the Tigers stretched their advantage to 12-0.

“I just got off the ball as fast as possible,” recalled Reid, who was later named the Ivy Defensive Player of the Week and was awarded a helmet sticker honor by ESPN’s College Football Final broadcast.

“That’s a great credit to our punt team (it was a kickoff actually), but the ball was barely on the one. We just knew we had to get there. We were all hungry.”

Starting the second half up 12-0, the Tigers kept up their hungry play. Princeton extended its advantage to 19-0 early in the third quarter after Will Powers ran eight yards for a touchdown.

In the fourth quarter, the Tigers kept the Bears at bay, forcing three punts and stopping Brown on downs to put the finishing touches on the shutout.

In Reid’s view, the Tigers made a major statement with the win over the Bears.

“Absolutely we believed that (we were Ivy contenders going into the game); I believe we sent a message, a very physical message, to other teams in the league,” asserted Reid.

“We beat Columbia this year, and it was like, we beat them last year, great. But we have teams we haven’t beaten in my four years here. I haven’t beaten some teams yet. It’s like a checklist — we beat Brown, we’re going to beat Harvard, we’re going for it. I think we sent that message
today.”

The Tigers could send quite a message if they could upset Harvard, which is riding a 14-game winning streak and is scoring 41.0 points a game and giving up just 13.4 points per contest.

In order to overcome the Crimson, Princeton will need to rely on its veteran leaders and the confidence they have developed through maintaining their self-belief.

“When I got the job here; you see some things you’re going to emulate,” said Surace.

“I noticed Brown and I loved how their seniors replace seniors. They just have veteran guys. When you see a junior like Phil Bhaya coming on, Mandela Sheaffer coming on, Andrew Starks coming on, Caraun, Cat, Sotereanos, those names you’ve been saying for a long time, and now they’re finally, finally becoming mature men. That’s what we needed. We still have some young guys, but it’s a mixture and those young guys are being led by mature guys. I can’t say enough good things about their leadership.”

BUTLER SERVICE: Princeton University women’s hockey star Sally Butler heads up the ice in action last winter. Junior forward Butler, who led the Tigers in scoring last season with 26 points on 15 goals and 11 assists, will be looking to build on that success as Princeton gets its 2012-13 campaign underway this weekend. The Tigers open up by playing at RIT on October 19 and Robert Morris on October 20. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

For the Princeton University women’s hockey program, the players in its Class of 2012 left an indelible impact.

The group of Ann-Marie Elvin, Julie Johnson, Heather Landry, co-captain Charissa Stadnyk, co-captain Paula Romanchuk, Danielle DiCesare, and Rachel Weber were immediate contributors when they joined the program in 2008.

Over the next four seasons, they provided production, leadership, and spirit in helping Princeton remain in the upper echelon of ECAC Hockey.

As the Tigers got together and started going through their paces in preparation for the 2012-13 campaign, the void was apparent to Princeton head coach Jeff Kampersal.

“In preseason, a lot of the players couldn’t get over the fact that Paula and Rachel and those kids are gone,” said Kampersal, whose team went 12-15-4 overall last winter to finish seventh in the ECACH standings and ended up falling to Harvard in the league quarterfinals. “The preseason was a little fractured, different kids were doing different things.”

As the Tigers look forward to opening the season by playing at Rochester Institute of Technology on October 19 and Robert Morris on October 20, Kampersal senses that a new team identity is being forged.

“Since the first practice, things have come together,” said Kampersal, a former Princeton men’s hockey star who is in his 17th season at the helm of the program and is also the head coach of the U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team. “Our group this year is good. We just need some more team bonding.”

The Tigers took a good step last weekend as they topped the Toronto Jr. Aeros 4-1 on Friday and Brown 4-2 the next day in two exhibition contests.

“We played pretty well; we had good production offensively,” said Kampersal. “We need to get better defensively; our power play needs to be a little better.”

Kampersal is confident that freshman goalie Kimberly Newell can emerge as a reliable last line of defense along the lines of Weber, who developed into one of the top goalies in the ECACH.

“Newell is young but she comes with a lot of experience,” said Kampersal, who will be using sophomore Ashley Holt as his backup goalie. “She is legit. She played on the Canada U-18 team; she is one of the top goalie recruits in the country.”

The Tigers welcome back their two top scoring forwards from a year ago in Sally Butler (26 points on 15 goals and 11 assists in 2011-12) and team captain Denna Laing (22 points on 11 goals and 11 assists). In addition, talented junior Olivia Mucha (10 points on 4 goals and 6 assists in 12 games) should return to action as she battles back from shoulder surgery.

“Both Butler and Laing are strong,” asserted Kampersal of the junior stars. “Mucha is back; she may be out the next 8-10 days but she should help us.”

The Tigers will also need help from a group of veteran forwards which includes senior assistant captain Kelly Cooke (9 points on 4 goals and 5 assists) and classmates Alex Kinney (7 points on 3 goals and 4 assists) and Corey Stearns (6 points on 3 goals and 3 assists) together with sophomore Brianna Leahy (9 points on 6 goals and 3 assists).

“We need the seniors and juniors to lead the way,” said Kampersal. “We have good freshmen. They are good players but they need older players to help them get up to speed.”

The defensive unit will need to be good as the Tigers don’t boast much depth along the blue line. Junior assistant captain Gabie Figueroa (7 points on 2 goals and 5 assists) and classmate Rose Alleva (8 points on 2 goals and 6 assists) should form one defensive pair with sophomores Ali Pankowski (13 points in 3 goals and 10 assists) and Brianne Mahoney (5 points on 2 goals and 3 assists) working together. Promising freshman Karen MacDonald figures to get plenty of ice time as well.

“Gabi and Rosie will lead the way; Pankowski and Mahoney have to step up,” said Kampersal.

“MacDonald is a steady Eddie; she is a good learner. She just needs to adjust to the speed of the game. All of the kids are going to play a ton; they are going to have to work hard.”

Kampersal realizes that his team is going to have to put in some good work to have a successful opening weekend.

“We don’t know much about RIT; they were Division III champs last year and are making the move up to Division I,” said Kampersal.

“They brought in some transfers; it is going to be a big weekend for them. We played Robert Morris last year and they have some real good players. They picked up some players from Niagara when that program was discontinued. It is going to be a long road trip; we are going to Rochester and then heading to Pittsburgh.”

As he looks ahead to the season, Kampersal believes his squad has what it takes to maintain the legacy of last year’s seniors.

“I want them to play hard, play smart, and be tough; we expect to compete in the ECAC,” maintained Kampersal.

“We don’t know where we will end up; it is a really tight league. We need goaltending and defense to be solid; we have to tighten up in the D-zone. Our power play has to be good; it was substandard last year.”

NICK OF TIME: Princeton University women’s volleyball player Lydia Rudnick goes after a ball in recent action. Senior outside hitter Rudnick has played a major role in helping Princeton go 9-8 overall and 6-1 in Ivy League play, second in the league standings to Yale (11-5 overall, 7-0 Ivy). The two-time All-Ivy performer leads the team in kills (233) and is second in digs (148). The Tigers are next in action when they host Penn (9-9 overall, 4-3 Ivy) on October 19.

As her Princeton University women’s volleyball team got off to a 3-7 start this season with four of the defeats coming in five-setters, Sabrina King felt uneasy.

“There were lots of nerves in those losses; we were also figuring out who our starters are,” said second-year Princeton head coach King.

“It was making me concerned. Last year, the five-setters were falling our way. Some of it is luck but some teams have the mental strength to pull out five-setters. I was wondering if this might not be our year.”

In its Ivy League opener at Penn in late September, though, Princeton was on the right side of a five-set marathon, beating the Quakers 26-28, 25-22, 14-25, 25-23, 15-13.

In King’s view, that victory showed that the Tigers could be a strong team.

“That is always a really intense game; mentally it did a lot of things for us,” said King.

“To win a five-setter, to win on the road, and to start the Ivy League with a win was big. We had played a match earlier that week and three of our starters were out with injuries. We didn’t know what to expect.”

The win started the Tigers on a winning streak as they ended up producing a 5-0 start in Ivy play coming into a showdown at fellow league leader and defending champion Yale last Friday.

As Princeton looked forward to that challenge, it realized it had to play a complete game to topple the Bulldogs.

“Yale has few weaknesses; we knew we had to play really well to beat them,” said King.

Princeton started out well, winning the first set 25-22 but Yale showed its championship pedigree, responding by winning the next three sets 25-22, 25-19, and 25-22 to post a 3-1 victory.

“We won the first set and were ahead late in the second but I could feel the tide turning,” recalled King, a 2001 Princeton alumna and former All-Ivy star for the women’s volleyball program during her college days.

“Volleyball is a game of momentum; I called two timeouts but we just didn’t have the mental edge.”

In King’s view, the defeat to the Bulldogs reinforced some important themes. “We need to play consistently; we can’t have lulls against a good team like that,” said King. “We have to keep focus through the whole set; that is something we have been working on.”

A day later, the Tigers showed a laser-like focus as they posted an impressive 25-17, 25-20, 25-14 victory at Brown.

“It felt like a completely different game,” said King, whose team improved to 9-8 overall and 6-1 Ivy with the victory over the Bears.

“We didn’t have a lot of time to mourn our loss and we took care of business. Brown can be excellent defensively; the ball keeps coming back at you. We had to be patient.”

Princeton has been getting excellent play all season long from senior star Lydia Rudnick, who leads the team in kills (233) and is second in digs (148).

“Lydia is an outstanding player,” asserted King of the two-time All-Ivy outside hitter.

“She is really a gamer; she wants the ball all the time. She has evolved as a player; she is trying to do more and work on being more successful consistently.”

The team’s sophomore players have become more consistent as well. “There is a ton of athleticism with that class; I didn’t recruit them but started with them last year so we developed a bond,” said King, whose star sophomores include Nicole Kincade, Tiana Woolridge, Sarah Hanna, and Ginny Willis. “They are great people and great athletes.”

With Kendall Peterkin (161 kills) and Sarah Daschbach (a team-high 226 digs) leading the way, Princeton’s group of freshmen have made an immediate impact.

“It is a talented class” asserted King. “They bring a lot to practices and games. They have a work hard attitude, there is no drama.”

With Princeton starting a critical five-game Ivy homestand, King doesn’t want to see too much drama.

“We have played really well at home; I hope it stays that way,” said King, whose team hosts Penn (9-9 overall, 4-3 Ivy) on October 19.

“We are talking about getting Yale at our place; I think we can do that. But we have to beat Penn, Harvard, Dartmouth, and Brown before we get to that. We can control our own destiny.”

In view of the pieces in place, Princeton’s destiny could be an Ivy championship.

“We do have a lot of good stuff,” said King. “This is a different type of team. It is an ensemble; it is not as distinct a lineup as last year. People are coming in off the bench and they are hungry to do well.”

October 10, 2012

GETTING THE CALL: Princeton University men’s squash coach Bob Callahan, far right, celebrates with his squad last February after it beat Trinity to win the Collegiate Squash Association (CSA) national championship and snap the Bantams’ 13-year title streak. Later that month, Callahan learned that he had a malignant tumor in his head and subsequently had successful brain surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. This Wednesday, Callahan will cap his year of triumph and suffering as he is inducted into the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame in Philadelphia.
(Photo Courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

On February 19, Bob Callahan’s arms were weary from hugging people after he guided his Princeton University men’s squash team to a win for the ages as it rallied to beat Trinity and snap the Bantams’ 13-year stranglehold on the Collegiate Squash Association (CSA) national title.

Characteristically, longtime Princeton head coach Callahan deflected the credit in assessing the third CSA national title of his 31-year tenure.

“What it reminded me is that there is a key ingredient in all these championship matches, which is luck,” said Callahan.

“We were down 4-2 and we won 5-4. Three years ago [in a 5-4 loss to Trinity in the 2009 national title match], we had some matches we should have won that we didn’t win. This year, we had some matches that we won that we should not have won.”

Two days later, Callahan experienced a strange feeling in his arms that triggered a much tougher battle than toppling the Trinity dynasty.

“We won on Sunday and that Tuesday, I was sitting here in Jadwin and one of the kids, as always, walked in the door, and as he did my two arms, from elbow down, had a kind of tingling like they had fallen asleep. It happened twice in about 30 seconds that day. I thought that’s weird and then it happened three times on Wednesday.”

Callahan experienced more tingling in his arms a few days later and went to the University Medical Center of Princeton where an MRI was performed on his head, revealing a black mass that was subsequently diagnosed as a malignant brain tumor. In early March, Callahan, 57, had brain surgery performed at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

“The surgery was successful; I started six weeks of radiation and chemo and then had a month off,” said Callahan.

“Then you start going in monthly for MRIs and they check you out. It has been fine; I am just more tired than I normally would be. That is the effects of radiation and chemo. Now I take two chemo pills for five days and I take 23 days off and I start again. I was lucky, not only that they recognized what is was right away but the placement of the tumor was over here on the right front of my head. For all right handers, the important stuff happens on the left side of your brain.”

In recognition of Callahan’s importance and standing in the squash world, he will be inducted into the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame this Wednesday in Philadelphia.

For Callahan, the honor adds a special high to his roller-coaster 2012. “I felt unworthy of consideration; I am not a big awards person to begin with so it was a surprise,” said Callahan, a 1977 Princeton graduate who was a two-time squash All-American during his college days.

“It is an honor to be associated with some folks who have tried to help squash; that is what my life has been about.”

When Callahan arrived at Princeton in 1973 from Episcopal Academy in Philadelphia, squash wasn’t a huge part of his life.

“I was a tennis recruit at Princeton, not a squash recruit,” recalled Callahan, who was a nationally junior squash player during his high school career.

“I came here all fired up to be No.1 in tennis and win Wimbledon and everything else. I wasn’t going to play squash my freshman year. The captain of the squash team my freshman year happened to go to Episcopal and he said ‘come on Bob, just try squash for two weeks.’”

Callahan agreed and never looked back, rising up the ladder to No. 6 as a freshman and No. 3 as a sophomore before playing at No. 1 his last two seasons. He played on three national championship teams at Princeton and gained as much off the court from his involvement with the program.

“It was fun to come to practice; it was fun to travel,” said Callahan, who continued to play tennis at Princeton but didn’t experience the success that he enjoyed at squash.

“You can  remember the bus trips, shooting the breeze. It was great to have a built-in group of guys who will do anything for you and you for them. You wind up being closest friends. They are the people you eat dinner with, the people you socialize with. It is a big part of the experience.”

After graduating from Princeton, Callahan left the world of squash to sell computers for IBM. But serving on a search committee to find someone to serve as Princeton squash head coach and tennis assistant led Callahan back to his alma mater.

“I was dutifully doing my job on the search committee when somewhere in the process someone said you should consider this yourself which I had not thought of,” recalled Callahan, who had done some summer coaching during high and college.

“I had no interest in coaching outside of Princeton; the draw was to go back to the alma mater and do the sport that meant so much to you as a student. IBM nicely agreed to give me a leave for three years to coach so I still had an affiliation with them.”

It didn’t take long for Callahan to realize that he had found his calling. “I loved the kids that were here,” said Callahan, who guided the Tigers to a national title in his debut season.

“After three years were up, IBM came calling; I had talked to them and had a nice offer. I remember one night a friend of mine from the area said when you worked for IBM on Sunday evenings, did you ever have an upset stomach or headaches thinking about the week ahead. I said every Sunday, I was uptight about stuff as a salesman. At Princeton, I couldn’t wait until Monday morning arrived to go to the office and get going. So what I am thinking, I am not going back to IBM. I am staying here so that was it.”

Staying put at Princeton gave Callahan the chance to coach his five sons, Greg, Scott, Tim, Matt, and Peter, who each played squash for the Tigers.

“It was really special; it was great fun,” said Callahan. “It was 10 years worth of having my kids around; it was wonderful for me.”

Another wonderful experience for Callahan came when he got to work with the legendary Yasser El Halaby, a native of Cairo, Egypt who won four national individual titles from 2003-06 during his Princeton career.

“He was one of world’s best young players and he was extraordinary,” recalled Callahan.

“He was very talented and exceedingly gracious towards the rest of the team and college squash. He was very popular on campus; he really thrived at Princeton and we thrived as a result.”

Princeton senior star Todd Harrity, a national champion himself in 2011, appreciates how Callahan helps his players thrive on and off the court.

“He really watches over and takes care of all of us,” said Harrity. “College is an adjustment and is hard at times for everyone and Bob is a great mentor. He is a Princeton grad himself so he understands the school and the curriculum.”

Harrity and his teammates were stunned when they learned last March of Callahan’s battle with cancer.

“We had a conference call and he told us everything,” said Harrity. “We didn’t know how to react. It was confusing as to what the consequences were. There was a lot of stuff to think about and a lot of mixed emotions.”

There will be no mixed emotions for the Princeton players as they accompany Callahan to the Hall of Fame ceremony this week.

“I am happy for him and proud of him,” said Harrity. “It is going to be great; we are excited to be going there with him.”

For Harrity, though, it is Callahan’s character more than his on-court success that has impacted him the most.

“To him sportsmanship is a big deal; it is just as important as winning,” said Harrity.

“I respect and admire that about him; it is easy to get caught up in the emotions of a match. He gets up and tells the crowd to calm down and be respectful; to cheer the good points and don’t jeer the bad ones.”

Callahan has a better perspective on the good things in life in the wake of his battle with cancer.

“It makes crystal clear that the important things in life are very few and they are family-related,” said Callahan, who credits wife Kristen with providing him amazing support. “I’ll do anything to increase the number of days I have with my family.”

For now, Callahan is looking forward to spending time with his squash family as he gets ready to coach Princeton in its title defense.

“It is full speed ahead,” said Callahan, whose hair is closely cropped on the right side of his head but retains a constant twinkle in his eyes.

“Practice starts officially on October 15 and I told Gary Walters [Princeton Director of Athletics] I am in. Next spring, we’ll decide about the following year.”

While Callahan knows he is facing some tough times ahead, he is determined to stay all in.

“I want to be fair to everybody; my life is definitely not going to be as long as it was which is OK,” said Callahan.

“I am going to do my best to beat the thing but a very small percentage of people make it five years. Everyone is going to die at some point. It is not how old you are, it is what you do while you are here.”

This Wednesday, Callahan will be getting more congratulatory hugs as the good that he has done in the game of squash is recognized by receiving the sport’s highest honor.

LOOKING SHARP: Princeton University running back Akil Sharp carries the ball in recent action. Last Saturday, senior star Sharp rushed for a team-high 60 yards and two touchdowns as Princeton routed Lafayette 35-14 for its second straight win. Princeton, now 2-2 overall and 1-0 Ivy League, hosts Brown (3-1 overall, 0-1 Ivy) on October 13 in a critical league contest.
(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

As his Princeton University football team battled Lafayette to a standstill in the first half last Saturday evening, Bob Surace had a flashback to his days with the Cincinnati Bengals.

“It reminded me of an AFC North game with the Steelers or the Ravens and some really good defense,” said Princeton head coach Surace, who served as an assistant on the Bengals staff for nine seasons before taking over the Tiger program  prior to the 2010 season.

“You might gain some yards but it is hard to score points. It was two teams playing hard and not turning it over.”

With the teams locked in a scoreless tie heading into the last minute of the first half, Princeton broke the ice as Akil Sharp scored on a 10-yard touchdown run with 53 seconds left in the quarter.

Sharp’s scoring jaunt culminated a nine-play, 86-yard drive. Using some trickery on the extra point attempt, the Tigers increased their lead to 8-0 as the ball was snapped to Jason Ray and he ran in a two-point conversion.

“To score and get that two-point conversion, that was big,” said Surace, whose team took the 8-0 lead into intermission. “Having that 86-yard drive gave us momentum.”

Still, Surace knew that his team had to be sharper in the second half.

“We needed to finish drives better,” said Surace, recalling his halftime message. “We moved the ball but they got a couple of big third down stops. We were backed up in field position.”

In the third quarter, Surace may have had visions of the dominant Pittsburgh Steelers teams of the 1970s as Princeton produced one of its better quarters in recent memory.

Utilizing an opportunistic defense and a balanced offense, the Tigers outscored Lafayette 21-0 in the quarter on the way to a 35-14 rout before a crowd of 6,812 at Fisher Field.

The victory improved Princeton to 2-2, marking its first two-game win streak since topping Lehigh and Columbia on successive Saturdays early in the 2008 campaign. It was the Tigers’ first win over a team with a winning record since week seven of 2007 when Princeton defeated a 4-2 Cornell team 34-31.

The defense triggered the Tigers’ third quarter explosion as an interception by senior linebacker Andrew Starks set up Princeton’s first score. Five plays after Starks’ pick gave the Tigers the ball at the Lafayette 45-yard line, sophomore quarterback Quinn Epperly ran 23 yards for a touchdown as Princeton jumped ahead 15-0.

On the ensuing Lafayette possession, the Tiger defense struck again as junior safety Philip Bhaya picked off a Zach Zweizig pass and ran 34 yards for a touchdown as Princeton increased its lead to 22-0.

“Our defense was swarming to the ball; we were so close to making turnovers,” said Surace, whose star defensive end Mike Catapano was later named the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week after recording eight tackles in the win, including three for loss, and a career-high 2.5 sacks.  “That play by Andrew was a big momentum shift and then Phil makes a good read on his interception.”

The Tigers got another big play late in the third quarter as junior receiver Roman Wilson scampered 34 yards for a touchdown on a rushing play to give Princeton a 29-0 advantage with 12 seconds left in the quarter.

The balanced Princeton rushing attack made a huge difference for the Tigers as they pulled away from the Leopards. Five different players gained at least 30 yards as Princeton rushed for 262 yards on 54 attempts. Senior star Sharp led the way with 60 yards rushing and two touchdowns while Wilson had 55 yards and Will Powers chipped in 48 with quarterbacks Epperly and Conner Michelson gaining 45 and 30 yards, respectively.

“Once we got rolling last year, we knew that Chuck Dibilio could get the ball 25 times for 150 yards and we had two or three guys to get that last 100,” said Surace, noting that sophomore Dibilio was at the game Saturday as he continues to recover from a stroke that sidelined him this fall.

“Now we have so many guys who can get yards for us. Wilson had a big run. Powers had some good runs and Akil made some nice carries. Epperly had that big run and some other good ones.”

Surace was concerned to see Lafayette make some big plays in the fourth quarter as former Allentown High star Ross Scheuerman ran 65 yards for a touchdown early in the period and Marc Ross scored on a 29-yard pass play with 6:54 left in regulation.

“We can’t turn the on and off switch,” said Surace, whose team’s fourth quarter tally came on a one-yard plunge by Sharp.

“What we learned is that when the game is in hand, I want us to keep our foot on the gas pedal. You only get 600 minutes in a season and you need to take advantage of every moment. You can’t throw away seven or eight minutes. But teaching lessons off a win is a lot better than teaching them off a loss.”

Putting the Lafayette win in the rear view mirror, Surace didn’t waste any time starting to prepare for this Saturday’s critical clash with visiting Brown, which is 3-1 overall and 0-1 Ivy League.

“Brown plays good, solid football; you know they are going to give an honest effort,” said Surace, whose team has a 1-0 Ivy record by virtue of its 33-6 win at Columbia on September 29.

“When I was on the bus at 10:30 on Saturday, I was looking at my Brown notes. As soon as the sun was up on Sunday, I was in the office getting the good taste from Lafayette out of my mouth and looking at Brown. They are going to be the best team, by far, that we have played to this point.”

As Surace looks to get the best from his team, he will be following the formula that has served the Tigers well the last two weeks.

“Every step we take from here is going to be a bigger step,” said Surace. “We have to continue to work hard and focus.”

While Alison Nabatoff has been a starter since her freshman season with the Princeton University women’s soccer team in 2009, the star defender hadn’t scored a point in her first 50 appearances for the Tigers.

The Burke, Va. native picked a good time to finally get on the score sheet, assisting on a second half goal by Rachel Sheehy last Saturday to give Princeton a 1-0 lead over visiting Brown.

“We were lucky; we got a ball into the box and Caitlin Blosser fought hard in the middle and won a ball and then Sheehy was there to clean it up so it was a full team effort,” said Nabatoff. “It was my first point ever at Princeton; I got a lot of help from the people up there.”

The Tigers took things from there, adding a goal by Lynessa McGee and thwarting the Brown offense on the way to a 2-0 win as they improved to 7-3-1 overall and 3-0 in Ivy League play.

Even though the game was knotted 0-0 at half, Nabatoff believed that the Tigers would come through.

“We are definitely confident in how we are playing right now,” said Nabatoff.

“We aren’t really worried when the game gets late. We have confidence in Jen Hoy, Blosser, Lauren [Lazo], and anyone who is up top that they will get it done.”

The Tiger defense produced one its best efforts of the season as Princeton won its fifth straight game.

“We have given up a bunch of goals this season so it is nice to get a shutout,” said Nabatoff, noting that she was joined on the back line by Gabriella Guzman, Gabrielle Ragazzo, and childhood friend Diane Metcalf-Leggett along with goalie Claire Pinciaro.

“No matter how many goals we have given up this year, we definitely  have an awesome back line and a good goalie. Even in the back, it is a full team effort and everyone does their job.”

The vocal Nabatoff directs traffic along the backline, shouting instructions all game long.

“I love being in that last line of defense; it is four players back there and we are all helping each other,” said Nabatoff, the 2009 Ivy Co-Rookie of the Year and a two-time All-Ivy selection.

The team’s group of eight seniors is trying to help Princeton enjoy a big year in their final campaign.

“I think as a class, we want it more than anything,” asserted Nabatoff. “Having a strong group of seniors who are all on the same page and know what they want really helps.”

Princeton head coach Julie Shackford credits Nabatoff and her classmates with playing a key role in her squad’s recent surge.

“When you have that big senior class, it makes all the difference in the world,” said Shackford, who is in her 18th season at the helm of the Tigers. “You can’t put a price tag on the experience of being in these games.”

In Shackford’s view, Nabatoff is one of her key seniors. “Alison is a phenomenal leader and communicator,” said Shackford. “In terms of being soccer savvy, she is our best, no question. She is not flashy but she gets the job done.”

The Tigers got the job done in the second half against Brown, sharpening up their finishing as the game went on.

“I thought we could have been a little sharper with the ball and could have gone forward a little bit quicker in the first half,” said Shackford.

“I don’t think it was our best half but I think we came out of it in the second half and had a good 25 minutes in that middle section and I think that was enough.”

Shackford credited senior midfielder Sheehy with providing sharp play all over the field.

“She has been phenomenal,” said Shackford. “She was our MVP today, I think, in terms of defending, attacking, and possession.”

In Shackford’s view, her team’s hot play of late is the product of an attacking mentality.

“They have all bought in,” said Shackford. “I think we know we can score goals which is really what every soccer team is looking to do. Jen [Hoy] hasn’t scored in three Ivy games. I think it is good to know that other people can score. We know we can score which is really a confidence builder.”

Nabatoff, for her part, is confident that the Tigers can be an Ivy title contender.

“We know that if we put our minds to it we can accomplish anything,” said Nabatoff. “We have to just keep working hard, that is the main thing. We can’t get complacent.”

October 3, 2012

TOM TERRIFIC: Princeton University men’s soccer star Thomas Sanner dribbles the ball in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, the freshman forward made a superb debut in Ivy League play, scoring a goal to help the Tigers edge Dartmouth 2-1 in overtime in the league opener for both teams. Sanner, the younger brother of Tiger senior star and co-captain Matt Sanner, leads Princeton in goals (3) and assists (5) and has been named Ivy League Rookie of the Week four times already this season, including this week. Princeton, now 5-3 overall and 1-0 Ivy, hosts Brown on October 6.
(Photo Courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

Thomas Sanner has been looking forward to getting his first taste of Ivy League men’s soccer for a few years.

The Indianapolis, Ind. native has followed the career of his older brother, Matt, a senior star and co-captain for the Princeton University squad, and decided to join him.

Last Saturday, the younger Sanner, now a freshman forward on the Tigers, made his Ivy debut as Princeton hosted Dartmouth in the league opener for both teams.

Sanner knew he was in for a challenge as the Tigers battled the Big Green.

“All I was hearing this week was how much more intense, physical, and fast the game is in the Ivy League,” said Sanner.

“Because you don’t have a tournament, the games are that much more important. Especially the first game against Dartmouth; they have been a perennial powerhouse.”

The 6’3, 185-pound Sanner didn’t waste any time making a big impact, scoring the first goal of the contest 17 minutes into the first half as he converted a feed from his older brother.

“It was kind of funny because my brother passed me the ball; he has been teasing me all year how I haven’t scored on one of his passes,” said Sanner.

“I got it down the right side and I didn’t really have anything else so I just hit it low to the back post. That was crazy; I blacked out when I scored.”

Dartmouth responded with a goal 20 minutes later and neither team scored again in regulation and the game went into overtime knotted in a 1-1 stalemate.

Just 1:45 into the extra session, the Tigers came through as Cameron Porter banged a ball off the Dartmouth goalie over the line with Sanner lurking in the box as the Tigers won 2-1.

“We felt like we really deserved this game; I think this might be the best that we have played as a team,” said Sanner.

“There was a really good vibe going into OT. We were saying just get it quick and we got it quick. Cam made a great run down the sideline and he tried to cross it and the goalie missed it and it went barely over the line. I probably should have hit it in but that was Cam’s goal.”

Sanner has adjusted quickly to the college game, establishing himself as a key weapon for the Tigers.

“The game is a lot more physical and quicker,” said Sanner, who leads Princeton in goals (3) and assists (5) and has been named Ivy League Rookie of the Week four times already this season, including this week.

“You have to get the ball off your feet a lot quicker. It has definitely taken me a lot longer to get used to it but I feel like I have been getting in a groove.”

Having his older brother around has helped Sanner get in a groove on and off the field.

“Ever since Matt got here, it has just been a dream to come here and play with him; this is the first time I have ever played with him,” said Sanner, noting that he was on the JV as a freshman at North Central High as his brother starred on the varsity.

“It is amazing; there is nothing better than the goal celebration and just jumping up and hugging each other. He has been telling me all the mistakes that he has made and has introduced me to a bunch of people. It has been really fun.”

It was certainly fun for Princeton head coach Jim Barlow to see his club rise to the occasion in the win over Dartmouth.

“I thought that the effort we put on the field against Rutgers [in a 2-0 loss on September 8] was one of the more disappointing efforts we have put on the field since I have been here,” said Barlow, whose team has won four straight to improve to 5-3 in his 17th season at the helm of the program.

“Today, it was the exact opposite. I think from start to finish this was one of  the best efforts that we have put together, competing-wise, soccer-wise, and discipline-wise.”

Some spirited competition in practice has helped Princeton get on the winning track.

“We had a really good week of training and the credit for so much of how we are going right now goes to the guys who are not getting in the game because the training sessions have been so good,” said Barlow.

“There have been some days where the second team has beaten the first team. The battles everyday in training remind us of the good years we have had.”

Barlow knows that a team has to set a positive tone from the start of the league campaign to have a good year.

“We knew from the last couple of years how important the first couple of games in the league are,” said Barlow.

“With only seven league games, if you get in a hole then you are panicked a little bit and your backs are against the wall and you have to win. If you win early, you get a little momentum and you get confidence. There is not as much pressure on you. You have got to win your home games; it was a really big result for us today.”

The Tigers are getting a big lift from precocious freshman Sanner. “It is really nice to have a pure center forward like Thomas,” said Barlow.

“To have a guy who stays all the way up the field, who doesn’t mind if guys are up his back all the time and who is big and strong enough that he can hold guys off is just a really nice weapon to have. He can pass and he is really good around the goal.”

With sophomore star Julian Griggs sidelined by an ACL injury, the Tigers need Sanner and others to be sharp around the goal.

“Julian is a guy who we were counting on for a lot of goals this year so now  we have to figure out where those goals are going to come from,” said Barlow.

“I think we still have weapons and different ways of getting dangerous, whether it is with our possession on counters or restarts, throw-ins, and corners. I think we got a lot of opportunities today.”

In Barlow’s view, the Tigers have been seizing opportunity during their winning streak.

“I think we are just getting better as a team,” asserted Barlow. “I just think when you look at how we move the ball now and how we stay connected now compared to three weeks ago, we are better. I think the guys have really taken everyday seriously and it is showing in how it looks offensively and defensively.”

With the student fans showing some raucous support at Roberts Stadium, the Tigers are looking like a team that is going to be tough to beat at home.

“The other thing I will say is how great it is to have some really fun fans at the games here,” said Barlow. “You can’t help but feel the energy and that’s awesome.”

Sanner, for his part, believes Princeton can draw a lot of cheers this fall.

“Last year when you watched, these were the games they would lose,” said Sanner.

“I think they had two or three games last year where they lost in the last minute of OT. This is a  big confidence boost; we have got to keep it up.”

SETTING THE TONE: Princeton University football player ­Anthony Gaffney eludes a tackler in recent action. Last Saturday at Columbia in the Ivy League opener for both teams, former Pennington School standout Gaffney returned the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown to set the tone as the Tigers rolled to a 33-6 victory. Gaffney, who also had two interceptions in the game, was later named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week and National Co-Freshman of the Week. Princeton, now 1-2 overall and 1-0 Ivy, plays at Lafayette (3-1) on October 6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

While the naysayers may have been bashing the Princeton University football team after it blew a late lead in losing 21-20 to Georgetown on September 21 and falling to 0-2, Bob Surace wasn’t about to go negative on his squad.

“I decided to be as positive as I could when we practiced on Tuesday,” said Princeton head coach Surace.

“I didn’t know how it was going to go. The whole group responded well and I thought we practiced well all week.”

In fact, Surace felt his team was on the verge of a breakthrough even though his record stood at 2-20 in his tenure guiding the Tigers.

“We had played hard and with a lot of energy in the first two games,” said Surace, whose squad fell 17-14 at Lehigh in its season opener.

“We just lacked the small details and things like that hurt you against the good teams.”

Playing at Columbia last Saturday in the Ivy League opener for both programs, the Tigers certainly looked like a good team as they rolled to a 33-6 win over the Lions before 4,469 at R.K. Kraft Field.

It was Princeton’s first road win since the final game of the 2009 season and the 27-point margin of victory was the largest for the Tigers since a 30-0 win over Dartmouth in the 2005 season finale.

Princeton didn’t wait long to set a positive tone as promising freshman Anthony Gaffney returned the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead.

Surace had the sense that Princeton could produce something big on special teams.

“We had the players watch film of what they were doing well on special teams and they saw films of them making mistakes,” said Surace.

“Against Georgetown, we were so close on kickoffs. We were just a block or two away. The players went out and were positive.”

Early in the second quarter, the Tigers turned a special teams blunder into points as Tom Moak took a botched snap and hit Des Smith on a 43-yard scoring pass to give Princeton a 14-0 lead.

“You don’t want to have errors on the snap,” said Surace, whose team also scored a touchdown in the Georgetown loss in a similar situation.

“But we practice that since it might happen once or twice in a season. To see the poise and execution was great. Tom did a great job. Nolan [Bieck] blocked two guys and that is pretty hard for a kicker. Smith took a great angle to get open.”

The teams traded field goals over the rest of the quarter and Princeton took a 17-3 lead into the locker room at intermission.

Despite the advantage, Surace was still wary. “I didn’t think we played our best; we had a few too many mistakes,” said Surace.

Columbia narrowed the gap to 17-6 with a field goal midway through the third quarter. The Tiger defense stiffened after that, pinning the Lions back at their own 20-yard line after a bad snap on a punt. Princeton got a Bieck field goal and took a 20-6 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Tigers dominated the fourth quarter, scoring 13 unanswered points. Princeton took a 27-6 lead after Quinn Epperly hit Roman Wilson in a 44-yard touchdown pass with 13:20 left in regulation.

Princeton tacked on six more points as Bieck hit field goals of 29 and 24 yards to make the final margin 33-6. Freshman Bieck, who had four field goals on the day, was later named the Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Week.

One of the most encouraging aspects of the win was the solid performance Princeton got from its quarterback rotation of sophomores Connor Michelson and Epperly. Michelson hit on 11-of-19 passes for 109 yards on the day while Epperley went 7-of-10 for 101 yards and also rushed for 42 yards.

“They are good players; they work hard,” said Surace, whose team outgained Columbia 335 yards to 213. “They are making good decisions; I can count on one hand the bad decisions they have made in three games and that is pretty good.”

A consistent bright spot for Princeton this fall has been the play of its defensive unit, which is giving up 14.7 points a game this year after surrendering an average of 32.5 in 2011. On Saturday, the Tigers held the Lions to 39 yards rushing and got two turnovers on a pair of interceptions by Gaffney.

“I think the defense played really well,” asserted Surace, who had eight players with four or more tackles against Columbia. “The guys are tackling well.”

In Surace’s view, the manner of the win should help solidify the belief the coaching staff has been trying to instill in its players as the program looks to turn the corner after two straight 1-9 campaigns.

“I think some of the guys were looking not to lose; they were not in complete belief,” said Surace.

“This group of seniors really believes; they feel this group is different. We are seeing progress. Against Lehigh we had played well but they had beaten us pretty good the previous two years. This year we could have won; we just needed one more play. I feel we played OK against Georgetown; we left some things on the field. To win like we did on Saturday was nice to see.”

While the Tigers basked in the glow of the victory, Surace knows that his team still had plenty to prove as it plays at Lafayette (3-1) on October 6 before getting into the heart of its Ivy League campaign.

“We can’t get caught up in it,” said Surace, whose team is now in a four-way tie for first in the Ivy standings with Harvard, Penn, and Cornell.

“We have a tough Lafayette team coming up. Whether you win or lose, you still come in Sunday and work on fixing things. It is only three weeks into the season. We are feeling better about ourselves; I think this is something we can build on.”

Police investigations are ongoing into two incidents that took place last month on the Princeton University campus. One involved a student allegedly taking explicit photographs of another student while he was sleeping. The other concerned an employee at the University Place Princeton University store who police say was visited by a prostitute and took part in paid sexual acts at the store after hours.

But Jim Sykes, president of the store, says it isn’t clear that the incidents involving employee Eric Everett and a prostitute actually took place after the U-Store’s 4 a.m. closing time. Mr. Everett, who worked in the U-store’s campus location, was arrested and charged with prostitution and shoplifting after the store manager discovered money was missing when he audited the safe.

Revelations about the sexual acts came to light only after Princeton Borough police were informed of the missing funds. Also arrested was Brittany Smith, 20, of Keyport, who was not an employee of the store.

“From our perspective, all we were aware of was an employee theft,” Mr. Sykes said Monday. “We had no idea of the other part of it until a release came out from the Borough Police. What we can’t confirm is that this happened after hours. I mean, we’re open until 4 a.m. We’re just not sure of when it happened.”

It was on September 20 that the U-Store manager checked the safe and found that it came up short. “He asked everyone about it, and then Mr. Everett started to tell him about having his ex-girlfriend there,” Mr. Sykes said. “That started a sequence, and we informed the police.”

Mr. Everett, who was arrested September 24, apparently met Ms. Smith on Craigs list and arranged for her to visit him at the store on at least three occasions. The pair allegedly helped themselves to several items from the shelves. Borough Police learned of the sexual acts while investigating the thefts. Ms. Smith was arrested on September 25 and found to be in possession of a marijuana pipe and Adderall tablets.

Both Ms. Smith and Mr. Everett were charged and released without bail. Ms. Smith was charged with prostitution, possession of a controlled and dangerous substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Mr. Everett, who is 23 and lives in Bordentown, was sent a letter terminating his employment at the store.” We hired him when he was 20,” said Mr. Sykes. “He lives at home. He seemed like a fairly normal guy. It’s a shame.”

Richard Charles Tuckwell, a 20-year-old Princeton University student from Australia, was charged last month with one count of invasion of privacy after allegedly taking photographs of another male student after he drank alcoholic beverages and fell asleep. Borough Police said the incident occurred on September 16 after Mr. Tuckwell met the other student at a party at one of the University’s eating clubs. The two went to a campus dormitory. The student, who fell asleep, awoke to find Mr. Tuckwell photographing him.

Mr. Tuckwell surrendered voluntarily to police on September 21. He was processed and released. The investigation, which also looks into whether Mr. Tuckwell sexually assaulted the other student, is continuing, according to Borough police.

Last May, Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi took his own life after his roommate broadcast video he took of him engaged in sexual activity with another man.

“It’s not that we’re really comparing this case to that,” said Borough Police Captain Nicholas Sutter of the Princeton University case. “But it is a serious incident, and we’re treating it as such.”


September 26, 2012

THROWN FOR A LOSS: Princeton University quarterback Connor Michelson throws a pass in recent action. Last Friday against visiting Georgetown, sophomore Michelson hit on 11-of-22 passes for 143 yards but it wasn’t enough as Princeton fell 21-20 to the Hoyas on a late field goal. Princeton, now 0-2, heads to New York City this Saturday to play at Columbia (1-1) in the Ivy League opener for both teams. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

For DiAndre Atwater, getting a shot at playing running back for the Princeton University football team as it hosted Georgetown last Friday night was special on many levels.

Freshman Atwater, who had only seen special teams duty in Princeton’s opening day 17-14 loss at Lehigh, got his first taste of carrying the ball in a college game. To make the evening more memorable, his older brother, junior Stephen Atwater, was on the field at the same time as a Georgetown defensive back.

“I was really excited, especially because my brother was on the other team,” recalled Atwater, who brings a special football lineage to the field along with his brother as their father, Steve, played 11 years in the NFL, including 10 with the Denver Broncos, making eight Pro Bowls in the process.

“I just tried to keep doing my job and doing what I knew best and working hard.”

It didn’t take long for Atwater to do some good work as he ran six yards for a first down in his second carry. On the next series, he made gains of 46 and 27 yards on two pass plays only to see both jaunts called back due to Tiger penalties.

The upbeat Atwater was undeterred. “Everyone makes mistakes out there,” said Atwater. “We knew we just had to correct them on the sidelines and get back out there.”

In the fourth quarter, the 5’8, 205-pound resident of Duluth, Ga. made an electrifying run down the sidelines, dashing 53 yards for a touchdown to put Princeton ahead 20-18 with 14:45 left in the contest.

“I knew the line made a huge hole; it was a read play to the right so when he gave it to me, I knew that I was going to go for at least 10 yards,” recalled Atwater. “Then the safety missed and it was off to the races.”

Unfortunately, Princeton couldn’t hold off the Hoyas as Georgetown put together a 72-yard march in the waning moments of the contest that produced a game-winning field goal with 14 seconds left in a hard-earned 21-20 victory over the Tigers.

While Atwater, who ended up with 92 yards on 15 carries, was disappointed by the final result, he was proud of his contribution.

“We have been working real hard in practice and camp so I was really glad to get out there on the field and show what I could do,” said Atwater.

“A lot of it was the linemen; I can’t take credit for it. A big part of it was them.”

Princeton head coach Bob Surace was bitterly disappointed to see his team’s good work go for naught in the end.

“You have to make plays to win a game and we didn’t,” said Surace, whose team dropped to 0-2 before a crowd of 6,792 at Princeton Stadium.

“I don’t know what happened at the end but we didn’t get the stop. We should have had them off the field. We had chances to win but we didn’t do it. You have to make the plays when you get the opportunities.”

The manner in which Atwater took advantage of his opportunity was a major bright spot for Princeton in a crushing loss that brought to mind the Tiger men’s basketball team’s heartbreaking 50-49 defeat to Georgetown in the 1989 NCAA tourney.

“We have been excited about DiAndre and those young backs,” said Surace. “You saw last night the next man up theory [in the New York Giants’ 36-7 win over Carolina where reserves made key contributions],” said Surace.

“Akil [Sharp] went down with an injury and Will [Powers] went down and DiAndre’s turn was called. He ran real well. He really gave us a spark and we got Dre [Nelson] in there a little bit. I saw at the end of the game that we had a freshman at running back and two freshmen corners. I am thinking this is like a JV game except that those are mature guys and they can handle it.”

Senior linebacker and co-captain Andrew Starks, who produced a career-high 16 tackles in the Georgetown loss, believes the Tigers will show maturity in bouncing back from the disappointment as they prepare for their Ivy League opener at Columbia on September 29.

“I have no doubt in my mind that we will watch film on Sunday and we will get those mistakes corrected in time for the Ivy League,” said Starks.

“You want to win all the games but those are the games that count. For us to still have a chance at the Ivy championship, that’s what drives us and will help us bounce back from this game.”

In the clash against Georgetown, the Tigers displayed their ability to bounce back as they rallied from an early 3-0 deficit. Princeton took a 7-3 lead as receiver Tom Moak took a wide snap on a field goal attempt and hit Mark Hayes on a 10-yard touchdown pass.

Princeton opened up a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter when Will Powers scored on a two-yard touchdown run to culminate a 12-play 50-yard scoring march.

The Hoyas narrowed the Tigers’ lead to 14-6 on a 26-yard field goal by Matt MacZura with 4:03 left in the first half. Princeton took possession at its own 22-yard line after the ensuing kickoff. On second down, a bad snap started a nightmarish sequence that will haunt the Tigers. Quarterback Connor Michelson failed to handle the snap out of a shotgun formation and the ball squirted into the end zone. Several Tigers had a shot at it but the Hoyas recovered the ball for a touchdown to narrow the gap to 14-12.

Surace took blame for the way his players handled that situation. “A veteran group takes a safety there, you can’t allow a touchdown,” said Surace, whose team lost one other fumble on the evening and committed seven penalties for 70 yards after getting flagged for just one violation in the Lehigh loss.

“That is my fault. We have to be clear in our preparation on that type of play. Young guys try to do too much sometimes.”

The teams traded punts for much of the third quarter before Georgetown broke through a Nick Campanella 7-yard touchdown run to take a 18-14 lead with 17 seconds remaining in the period.

Two plays into the fourth quarter, Atwater took off on his 53-yard touchdown dash and the Tigers forged ahead 20-18.

On its next possession, Princeton drove to the Georgetown 18 but failed to get any points out of the march as a Nolan Bieck 35-yard field goal attempt sailed wide.

The teams exchanged punts and Georgetown took over at its own 12 with 5:34 remaining in regulation. Aided by a roughing the passer penalty on Princeton and converting a 4th and 3, the Hoyas got to the Tiger 16. With 14 seconds left, MacZura hit a 33-yard field goal that proved to be the margin of victory as Georgetown improved to 3-1.

As hard as it might be, Princeton needs to put the Georgetown loss in the rear view mirror as it heads to New York City this Saturday to play at Columbia (1-1) in the Ivy League opener for both teams.

“It is really disappointing; we are going to come back on Sunday and be ready for Columbia,” said Surace. “Columbia is going to be ready for us; we are going to have to play a great game on the road.”

Atwater, for his part, believes that Princeton can come up with a great effort against the Lions.

“We have to correct the mistakes we made and come back hard against Columbia,” said Atwater. “We need to come back with energy and strength and do what we do best.”