Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/9/16
From Press Release
An incredibly difficult week for the Princeton men’s lacrosse team ended on a nasty, cold, rainy day – and with an interim head coach whose message to his players was that the sun would again shine on the Tigers.
Matt Madalon’s first game as Princeton’s interim head coach was a 13-10 loss to No. 8 Stony Brook on a wet, freezing day at Sherrerd Field. When it was over, he was the ray of brightness for a team that had a figurative dark cloud over it all week and a literal one Saturday afternoon days following the dismissal of coach Chris Bates.
That was Madalon’s message to his team when this week had finally ended. The sun will come out again.
The game on the field was a welcome opportunity to get back to playing lacrosse. It also turned into the best game of sophomore Sam Bonafede’s career, as he won 19 of 27 face-offs and added a goal and 12 ground balls.
The key moment of the game came Zach Currier had made it an 11-10 game with 11:12 left, after Princeton had trailed by as many as five in the first half and 11-7 in the third.
Princeton had a chance at the ground ball on the face-off but couldn’t come up with it. Currier then forced a turnover, but the Tigers were called for having too many men on the field, giving Stony Brook a man-up opportunity, which the Seawolves promptly cashed in. Instead of a one-goal game with a chance to tie, it was 12-10.
The loss dropped Princeton to 2-7 on the season, with a quick turnaround to a game Tuesday at home against Lehigh (7). After that will be three straight Saturdays with Ivy League games, at home next Saturday against Dartmouth (3) and then at Harvard and home with Cornell.
GAME NOTES
* Bonafede won nearly half as many face-offs against Stony Brook as he had for the season, as he had been 41 for 91 for the year prior to the game against the Seawolves. Added together, and he is now 60 for 118 on the year, with two goals.
* Zach Currier had two goals, one assist, seven ground balls and two caused turnovers. His ground ball total matched his average, and he continues to lead Division I shortsticks in causd turnovers per game.
* Austin Sims had two goals, giving him four-straight multi-goal games. Sims leads Princeton with 17 goals, 12 of which have come in the last four games.
* Gavin McBride (Haverford School) led Princeton with three goals. His streak of consecutive games with at least one point reached 24 straight – every game for the last two years. Ryan Ambler had a goal and two assists.
* Princeton lost to Stony Brook 13-10 a year ago as well. The teams have now met four times, the last two years and in 1992 and 1993.
* Freshman Mike Morean had a strong day, including a caused turnover and three ground balls.
* Princeton had a 35-16 edge in ground balls.