| NEWS |
  
|
| FEATURES |
| ENTERTAINMENT |
  
|
| COLUMNS |
     |
| CONTACT US |
|
| HOW TO SUBMIT |
|
|
| BACK ISSUES |
|
|
 (Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption:
|
Tiger Men's Water Polo Made Waves As It Fought Valiantly at Final Four
By Bill Alden
In 2003, the Princeton University men's water polo team ended its season in bitterly disappointing fashion as it fell to Navy in the title game of the Eastern Championships.
The setback was particularly crushing since the Tigers had beaten the Midshipmen in their three prior meetings that fall.
Using that disappointment as motivation, Princeton went one step further this season as it won the Easterns, thereby qualifying for the NCAA Final Four and making the program's first national tournament appearance since 1992.
While the Tigers ended 2004 with a 7-5 overtime loss to UCLA in the national semifinals and to a 6-5 defeat to Loyola Marymount in the third-place game, there was a sense of accomplishment rather than frustration at season's end.
In the game against UCLA, which went on to win the national title, Princeton battled the heavily-favored Bruins on even terms throughout the contest. A late goal by Tiger star John Stover forced overtime and the teams remained deadlocked through most of the first overtime. Ultimately, the Bruins' depth proved to be too much as they outlasted gritty Princeton.
In reflecting on Princeton's near-miss against UCLA, Princeton head coach Luis Nicolao asserted that his team struck a blow for the quality of Eastern water polo which is seen as a poor cousin to the brand of competition played by the sport's California powers.
"It was definitely a statement game," said Nicolao, whose team nearly became the first eastern college to advance to the NCAA title game. "We did a lot for ourselves and for water polo on the east coast. I had people coming up to me all day on Sunday congratulating me on how we had played."
In Nicolao's view, it was his team's stout defense that put the Bruins on their heels. "We continued the defensive effort we have been showing in the last part of the season," explained Nicolao, whose team finished with a 25-6 mark, thereby surpassing the program record for most wins in a season by one.
"When you come into a game against a quality opponent like UCLA, you hope that they are a little off and that you are playing your A-game. It was an unbelievable game for us."
For Nicolao, the team's focus this fall on its goals was unbelievable. "We played as a team, all 24 guys contributed," asserted Nicolao, a water polo star at Navy in his college days in the early 1990s who has been guiding the Princeton men's and women's water polo programs for seven years.
"The team's defensive effort was great, it reflected how the players came together. We were so disappointed after losing to Navy last year in the Easterns. We knew as a group that we could do it in the Easterns. We played the whole season shooting for November. We played a great game in beating St. Francis in the Eastern final."
While Princeton's success was a total team effort, senior goalie Peter Sabbatini and junior driver Stover stood out as pivotal figures.
Sabbatini, a third-team All American in 2003, was the MVP of this year's Easterns and was named as a first team All-Southern performer. He came into the Final Four with a 15-4 record and 186 saves. Stover, an honorable mention All-American selection last year, was named as the Southern Player of the Year. He ended the season leading the Tigers with 72 goals.
Nicolao acknowledged that Sabbatini and Stover made special contributions to the team's success. "You get a Peter once every 10 years," asserted Nicolao, who was named as the Dick Russell Coach of the Year.
"He was the anchor of our defense. He was a pleasure to coach. You knew that on days when the defense was a little off, you could depend on him to make the big saves. John was just great. He was one of the guys the other team was always looking to stop but he still got two-three goals a game."
Nicolao is hoping that the program's Final Four experience will make Princeton even tougher to stop next year.
"It was great to have a taste at that level," said Nicolao, who loses only four seniors and will be welcoming back such stars as Stover, Nicholas Seaver, Reid Joseph, Jamal Motlagh, and Dean Riskas. "It typifies what we are shooting for. We want to try to get back. I'm excited about next year's team."
No matter what happens in the future, Nicolao won't soon forget how his team concluded the 2004 campaign.
"I was happy to see the satisfaction the guys got from being there and doing well," said Nicolao. "We hadn't been there for 13 years and it was great to get there. The experience of the Final Four was overwhelming. I can't stop smiling."
