INSIDE PRESENCE: Princeton University men’s basketball player Malik Abdullahi defends a foe in recent action. Freshman forward Abdullahi has provided the Tigers with a spark in the paint. Abdullahi scored 11 points and had four rebounds along with one block in a 73-68 loss to Loyola University Chicago on Friday and followed that up with eight points and three rebounds in a 68-57 win over Merrimack last Sunday. Abdullahi was later named Ivy League Rookie of the Week. Princeton, now 4-1, will be competing in the Myrtle Beach Invitational in Conway, S.C., from November 21-24 before returning home to host Nazareth on November 27. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

In its first three games this season, the Princeton University men’s basketball team displayed a knack for pulling out nail-biters.

In its season opener against visiting Iona on November 4, Princeton overcame a 16-point second half deficit to pull out an 81-80 win. Against Duquesne four days later, the Tigers trailed by four points with five minutes left before prevailing 75-68. Facing Northeastern on November 10, Princeton trailed 74-71 but produced another late surge to win 79-76. more

CRUNCH TIME: Princeton University football running back John Volker gets corralled by two Dartmouth defenders earlier this season. Last Saturday, Volker rushed for 56 yards and one touchdown but it wasn’t enough as Princeton fell 42-28 at Yale. The Tigers, now 2-7 overall and 1-5 Ivy League, host Penn (4-5 overall, 2-4 Ivy) on November 23 in their season finale. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It proved to be a disappointing case of déjà vu for Bob Surace and the Princeton University football team as the Tigers played at Yale last Saturday.

Jumping out to a 28-21 lead over the Bulldogs early in the third quarter, things went downhill from there for Princeton. Yale reeled off 21 unanswered points to pull away to a 42-28 win before 7,594 at the Yale Bowl, dropping the Tigers to 2-7 overall and 1-5 Ivy League. more

BIG MAC: Princeton University women’s soccer player Heather MacNab, left, chases after the ball in recent action. Last Sunday, senior defender MacNab had two assists to help top-seeded Princeton defeat third-seeded Brown 2-0 in the Ivy League Tournament final. The Tigers, now 14-4, are headed to the NCAA tournament where they will play at Virginia (12-5) in a first round contest on November 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

In early October, Princeton University women’s soccer player Heather MacNab left the field at Roberts Stadium on a cart after suffering a severe gash to her forehead in a scary collision with a Penn player.

As senior defender MacNab lay on the ground that night, she was already planning her return. more

STICKING OUT: Princeton University field hockey player Beth Yeager, right, dribbles the ball in a game earlier this season. Last Sunday, junior star Yeager picked up an assist in a losing cause as Princeton fell 2-1 to Harvard in overtime in the Ivy League Tournament final. Yeager, a U.S. Olympian who was named the Ivy Offensive Player of the Year this fall, will look to keep producing as the Tigers, now 13-5, start play in the NCAA tournament where they are an at-large selection and will face Boston College (14-6) in a first round contest on November 15 at Saint Joseph’s. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

The last time Beth Yeager and the Princeton University field hockey team lost, they bounced back with seven straight wins.

The Tigers would settle for four straight this time in the wake of being awarded an at-large berth to the NCAA tournament hours after falling to Harvard, 2-1, in the Ivy League Tournament final in overtime Sunday. When Harvard scored with less than three minutes to play in regulation, Princeton responded with Yeager’s corner smash redirected in by Ella Cashman with 59 seconds left to force overtime. The Crimson scored 4:11 into the OT to pull out the win. more

HILL TO CLIMB: Princeton University football defensive back Nasir Hill tracks down a Dartmouth ball carrier last Friday night. Junior defensive back Hill made 12 tackles in the game as the Princeton defense battled hard in a 27-16 loss to the Big Green. The Tigers, now 2-6 overall and 1-4 Ivy League, play at Yale (5-3 overall, 2-3 Ivy) on November 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

On paper, it looked like a mismatch when the Princeton University football team hosted Dartmouth last Friday night.

Ivy League frontrunner and once-beaten Dartmouth entered the evening tied for first place in the league standings while Princeton was mired in a three-team tie for last, having been routed by Harvard (45-13 on October 26) and Cornell (49-35 on November 2) in its last two contests. more

By Bill Alden

Playing in its first game under new head coach Ben Syer, the Princeton University men’s hockey team put on quite a show as it hosted Harvard in its season opener last Friday.

Battling the Crimson in a back-and-forth contest before a standing-room only crowd of 2,352 at Hobey Baker Rink, Princeton jumped out to a 2-1 lead and then rallied from a 3-2 deficit to force overtime before falling 4-3.

Heading into its game against Dartmouth a night later, the Tigers were looking to build on their effort against Harvard. more

OPENING SALVO: Princeton University men’s basketball Xaivian Lee dribbles upcourt last Monday as Princeton hosted Iona in its season opener. Junior guard Lee tallied a game-high 27 points as Princeton overcame a 58-42 second half deficit to pull out an 81-80 win over the Gaels. In upcoming action, Princeton faces Duquesne on November 8 in the Jersey Jam at the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton and then plays at Northeastern on November 10. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

There was plenty of hype surrounding the Princeton University men’s basketball team as it headed into its season opener against Iona last Monday night at Jadwin Gym.

The Tigers were a nearly unanimous selection as the favorite in the Ivy League Preseason Poll. NBA scouts have flocked to their practices and the squad’s two junior stars, Caden Pierce and Xaivian Lee, were both included in the ESPN Preseason Top 100 players. Some media outlets have been forecasting the Tigers as a potential single-digit seed in the NCAA tournament. more

NEW DAY: Princeton University men’s hockey player Noah de la Durantaye controls the puck in a 2022 game. Senior star defenseman de la Durantaye figure to spearhead things along the blue line this Princeton. The Tigers open their 2024-25 campaign by hosting Harvard on November 8 and Dartmouth on November 9 as new Princeton head coach Ben Syer makes this debut behind the bench for the program. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

During his 13-year tenure as an assistant coach for the Cornell University men’s hockey team, Ben Syer helped the Big Red consistently rank as one of the top defensive squads in the country.

Cornell averaged 2.21 goals allowed-per-game, ranking third among all Division I programs over the past 13 seasons. In addition, the Big Red ranked in the top ten in in scoring defense nine times and twice led the country in that statistic (2017-18, 2023-24). more

By Bill Alden

Before the Princeton University football team even took the field against visiting Cornell last Saturday, it was fighting an uphill battle.

“We went out to practice Tuesday and we had 38 guys on the injured list,” said Princeton head coach Bob Surace. “We lost five from the last play on Tuesday through Wednesday. We got one back so we had 42 on Thursday. I just had to make decisions. Some guys were playing hurt, it is can they perform better than some inexperienced guys.”

The Tigers didn’t perform well against the Big Red as they fell behind 28-0 with Cornell star quarterback Jameson Wang passing for two touchdowns and rushing for another in the early onslaught. more

MAC ATTACK: Princeton University women’s hockey player Mackenzie Alexander fires a shot last Friday as Princeton hosted St. Lawrence in its home opener at Hobey Baker Rink. Freshman forward Alexander tallied a goal in a losing cause as Princeton fell 6-2 to the Saints. The Tigers, who lost 6-3 to Clarkson on Sunday to move to 2-4 overall and 0-4 ECAC Hockey, play at Harvard on November 8 and at Dartmouth on November 9. (Photo by Shelley Szwast, provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

By Bill Alden

As Mackenzie Alexander made her debut at Hobey Baker Rink last Friday evening when the Princeton University women’s hockey team hosted St. Lawerence, she was pumped up.

“It was incredible with all the fans that came out, it was really cool to see,” said freshman forward Alexander, a native of Etobicoke, Ontario. “The atmosphere was really fun to play in. I really appreciate them coming out.” more

TWO GOOD: Princeton University men’s basketball players Caden Pierce, left, and Xaivian Lee got up for a rebound in a game last winter. The return of junior stars Pierce, the 2024 Ivy League Player of the Year, and Lee, a fellow first-team All-Ivy selection, has the Tigers primed for another big campaign. Princeton, which went 24-5 overall and 12-2 Ivy last winter in winning its third straight league regular season title, opens its 2024-25 campaign by hosting Iona on November 4. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the Princeton University men’s basketball team held its annual media day earlier this month in Jadwin Gym, junior stars Xaivian Lee and Caden Pierce mugged for the cameras when asked to pose together for photos.

The one-two punch could have been broken up as Lee entered the NBA Draft process before deciding to return to Princeton and Pierce was a potential target of the transfer portal.

For Pierce, the 2024 Ivy League Player of the Year, his connection with Lee, a fellow first-team All-Ivy selection, played a key role in him remaining with the Tigers. more

ROSY OUTLOOK: Princeton University women’s basketball player Madison St. Rose looks to dribble past a foe in action last season. Junior star guard St. Rose figures to be a go-to player this winter for Princeton. The Tigers, who went 25-5 overall and 13-1 Ivy League last winter on the way to a fifth straight Ivy Tournament championship, start their 2024-25 campaign by playing at Duquesne on November 4. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

Madison St. Rose spent her summer in Philadelphia playing basketball against other college players.

It gave the Princeton University women’s basketball junior star more scrimmaging opportunities than she’d had the summer before when she returned to her Old Bridge home, plus more of a chance to build her game for her third year with the Tiger program. more

MURPHY’S LAW: Princeton University football player Dareion Murphy takes a handoff in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, junior running back Murphy rushed for 21 yards as Princeton fell 45-13 to Harvard. The Tigers, now 2-4 overall and 1-2 Ivy League, host Cornell (2-4 overall, 1-2 Ivy) on November 2. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

By Bill Alden

In its six contests against archrival Harvard between 2017-23, the Princeton University football team went undefeated, outscoring the Crimson by an average of 31.2-17 in those matchups.

As Princeton headed up to New England for its clash at Harvard on Saturday, Tiger head coach Bob Surace was cautiously optimistic that the winning streak would continue. more

HIP HIP HOORAY: Princeton University quarterback Blaine Hipa gets ready to unload the ball last Friday night against Brown. Junior Hipa completed 15-of-26 passes for 200 yards and one touchdown and rushed for another score as Princeton held off a late rally by the Bears to prevail 29-17 and improve to 2-3 overall and 1-1 Ivy League. The Tigers play at Harvard (4-1 overall, 1-1 Ivy) on October 26. (Photo by Sideline Photos, provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

By Bill Alden

Blaine Hipa struggled in his first three career starts this fall for the Princeton University football team, completing 46 percent of his passes with nine interceptions and three touchdowns as the Tigers lost all three games.

As Princeton hosted Brown last Friday night, Hipa was primed to put that rough stretch behind him. more

MOMENT OF BRILLIANCE: Princeton University men’s soccer player Gabe Duchovny, left, goes after the ball in a 2023 game. Last Saturday, junior midfielder Duchovny scored the winning goal as Princeton rallied to edge Columbia 2-1. The Tigers, now 6-5 overall and 3-1 Ivy League, host Yale on October 26. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

Gabe Duchovny wasn’t thinking about his shot or he might not have taken it.

It wasn’t a high percentage shot, but the junior midfielder couldn’t have hit his rocket from 30 yards any better for the game-winner in the Princeton University men’s soccer team’s 2-1 comeback win at Columbia on Saturday. more

TIGER LILY: Princeton University women’s soccer player Lily Bryant boots the ball against Penn last Wednesday evening. Senior star forward/midfielder Bryant scored the lone goal in the contest as Princeton prevailed 1-0. The Tigers, who fell 2-1 at Yale last Sunday to move to 6-4 overall and 3-1 Ivy League, host Harvard on October 19 before playing at UMBC on October 22. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Lily Bryant helped the Princeton University women’s soccer team put the heat on visiting Penn in the first half last Wednesday night at Roberts Stadium.

With Princeton coming off an 8-0 win over Brown on October 5, senior Bryant fired two shots as the Tigers outshot the Quakers 12-2 and built an 8-3 edge in corner kicks in the first 45 minutes of the contest. more

BREAKING THROUGH: Princeton University running back Ethan Clark (No. 21) bursts through the line in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, sophomore Clark rushed for a career-high 117 yards in a losing cause as Princeton fell 34-7 at No. 7 Mercer. Clark came into the game having rushed for a total of 37 yards in his college career. The Tigers, now 1-3 overall and 0-1 Ivy League, host Brown (2-2 overall, 1-0 Ivy) this Friday night as they head into the league stretch drive. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton University football team trailing No. 7 Mercer 17-0 heading into the second quarter last Saturday, it would appear that the Tiger defense was getting shredded.

But with the undefeated Bears scoring one touchdown on a punt return and another on a fumble recovery in the end zone, the Princeton defense was actually holding the fort. more

FULL SPEED AHEAD: Princeton University women’s hockey player Emerson O’Leary races up the ice in a game last season. Junior forward O’Leary figures to be an offensive catalyst for the Tigers this season. Princeton opens up its 2024-25 campaign by playing at Robert Morris on October 18 and 19. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

The Princeton University women’s hockey team will feel a void this winter with the graduation of superstar forward Sarah Fillier, an Olympic gold medalist with Canada’s women’s national squad and the fourth all-time scorer in program history (194 points on 93 goals and 101 assists).

But the exit of Fillier will open things up for the Tiger veterans and newcomers. more

BLAINE GAME: Princeton University quarterback Blaine McAllister fires a pass last Saturday against Howard. Making his first career start, McAllister passed for one touchdown and ran for another as Princeton topped the Bison 30-13. The Tigers, now 1-1, start their Ivy League campaign by playing at Columbia (1-1) on October 5. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

By Bill Alden

For Blaine McAllister, being patient over the last four seasons was rewarded last Saturday as he made his first start at quarterback for the Princeton University football team.

Toiling on the Princeton junior varsity team in 2021 and 2022 and making one varsity appearance last fall, senior McAllister got the starting nod against visiting Howard with opening day starter Blaine Hipa sidelined by injury. more

OFF AND RUNNING: Princeton University football running back John Volker heads upfield in a 2023 game. Last Saturday, senior Volker scored on a three-yard touchdown run in a losing cause as Princeton fell 35-20 to Lehigh in its season opener. The Tigers will look to get on the winning track as they host Howard (2-2) on September 28 in its home opener. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Opening its 2024 season last Saturday by facing a rugged Lehigh squad that already had three games under its belt, the Princeton University football team got off to a rough start.

Princeton trailed 21-7 at halftime, getting outscored 14-0 in the second quarter as it struggled on both sides of the ball. more