The Second Drop-Off

TigerBlog gave you 1,414 words a year ago on his experiences in taking TigerBlog Jr. to college for the first time.

It was the most emotional thing he wrote all of last year.

Here's this year's version of yesterday's drop-off for TBJ's sophomore year at Sacred Heart University:

"The traffic was bad around the George Washington Bridge. It didn't seem like he had as much stuff as last year, or maybe it just seemed that way because his room is on the first floor this year so there were no stairs involved. His room is nicer than last year's. His roommate is another lacrosse player, this time from New Hampshire. When it came time to leave, there was this exchange: TB: want to get something to eat? TBJ: No. TB: Okay. Stay in touch."

That was 86 words. It wasn't even the most emotional thing he wrote this week.

It was a completely different experience, Year 1 to Year 2. It was sort of funny actually.

Taking your first child to college is an incredibly bizarre experience. What's even more bizarre is when they come home from college for the summer. Just when you're used to the routine that has them away, they're back to disrupt everything.

Your average returning college freshmen are to having limitless freedom for the first time. Then, just like that, they're back in the own little beds at home, but still feeling entitled to limitless freedom.

And if there is a younger sibling? They're used to the new order or things in the house.

It seems like yesterday when Miss TigerBlog said, upon her older brother's return home, these five simple words: "this isn't going to work." In fact, that was more than three months ago. Time has certainly flown by this summer.

So TigerBlog Jr. is back in Connecticut. Classes start today - TigerBlog can't remember if he used to go back to school one day before classes started. Maybe he did.

Because of the quick turnaround after the drop-off and the lack of traffic on the way back, TigerBlog was able to get to the women's soccer game on Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium last night against Villanova, a game the Tigers won 1-0.

Maybe you watched it on ESPNU? If you did, then you saw a ridiculous save by Princeton freshman goalkeeper Natalie Grossi with about 20 seconds left to preserve the win.

TigerBlog also saw the game Friday night, when Princeton defeated Fordham 3-1 in its season opener. Grossi, by the way, went 180 minutes this weekend and allowed one goal while making nine saves in what was a very strong debut.

Tyler Lussi came into her senior year needing four goals to tie Esmeralda Negron's school record for goals in a career. Negron, who graduated in 2005 after being a first-team All-America on Princeton's 2004 NCAA Final Four team, scored 47 goals as a Tiger, and no women's or men's player at Princeton has ever scored more.

It took Lussi less than 10 minutes Friday night to get half of what she needed to catch Negron in the win against Fordham.

There was Lussi. Then there was Lussi again, this time from Mimi Asom. Then there was Asom from Lussi.

The two of them are just relentless. They play off each other so well. And really the whole team is relentless.

In the game last night, TigerBlog figured with about 23 minutes to go that the goal was coming. It seemed inevitable.

It took 13 minutes from there, but it happened. And it came from Asom, who powered her way into the box and ripped one into the net.

The result was a great start to the season for Princeton, the defending Ivy champ after last year's 14-4-1 season, one that included a 6-0-1 dash through the league.

The first weekend is never easy. Game fitness is the issue, which combined with the weather makes it tough.

Fordham and Villanova both had played two games prior to taking on Princeton, which is a huge advantage. Add to that the fact that both games were played in heat and humidity, and fatigue becomes a real problem.

Princeton clearly had the better of the play in both games. Lussi's two early scores against Fordham basically put that one away early, but the game last night was scoreless deep into the second half, largely because of the fatigue.

Asom took care of that.

When Lussi breaks Negron's record, it will has stood for 12 years. Lussi's might not last that long, because Asom is ahead of her pace.

Having one scorer like that is huge. Having Lussi and Asom is formidable - and it makes the Tigers very entertaining. You never know when one of them, or the two of them together, will do something that brings a "wow" from the crowd.

There were two great crowds at Roberts Stadium this weekend to see the Tigers. The two did not disappoint, as they both finished the first weekend with two goals and one assist.

And the promise of a lot more to come.