Orange And Black Day(s)

So yesterday was the 279th anniversary of the day that Princeton University was officially chartered. 

Of course back then it was The College of New Jersey, and its campus was in Elizabeth. After one year, the school moved to nearby Newark, before relocating to its current home in 1756. 

To celebrate the anniversary each year, the University has its "Orange and Black" day, for which everyone on campus is invited to wear the school colors. For TigerBlog, "Orange and Black" day comes up about 365 days a year. 

Anyway, happy birthday to Princeton University. TigerBlog can't help but wonder what the original founders of the college would think if they could see it today. 

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The Princeton-Bryant men's soccer game Tuesday night certainly had a big-time feel to it, a postseason feel. And why wouldn't it? 

You had two of the best teams in the country. It also happened to be the first meeting ever between them, so you also had unfamiliarity. 

It was a tight, physical game that ended in a 0-0 tie. Had this been in a month or six weeks or so, then the game would have continued until a winner was decided in overtime or penalty kicks. In late October, it made for some great regular-season drama. 

The outcome didn't hurt either team. The updated Division I RPI has Princeton still at No. 1, while Bryant went from No. 3 to No. 2.

Princeton can't look ahead to late November and possibly early December, of course, not when there are big hurdles to clear between now and then. The Tigers are at Yale Saturday at 6, and the first order of business would be to formally clinch a spot in the Ivy League tournament. 

The regular season ends with three straight league games on three straight Saturdays, with a home game against Dartmouth next weekend followed by a game at Penn. The Tigers are 4-0-0 in the Ivy, three points ahead of 3-1-0 Cornell and at least four ahead of everyone else. 

The regular season champ will host the Ivy tournament. 

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Don't look now, but the women's soccer team is surging at just the right time. The Tigers have won three straight after a 2-5-3 start and have outscored those three opponents by a combined 9-1, most recently 5-1 over Lehigh as the nightcap of the Tuesday doubleheader. 

Princeton currently is one point out of first place, with nine points to the 10 that both Harvard and Columbia have. Princeton hosts Columbia Saturday at 1, with a trip to Brown a week from Saturday in the regular season finale. 

The Ivy tournament could still be on Myslik Field at Princeton Stadium — or it could also happen without Princeton. Brown and Dartmouth are one point behind the Tigers with eight each. 

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The Ivy League tennis championships begin tomorrow and run through Sunday, with the men at Penn and the women at Harvard. 

This past week, you might have noticed the ITA Regionals for the men at the new Meadows tennis complex. Princeton's Paul Inchauspe and Fnu Nidunjianzan earned spots in the NCAA singles tournament, which for the second straight year will be held in the fall (Nov. 18-23 in Florida).

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The field hockey team has three regular season games to go, as well as at least the Ivy League tournament and quite likely the NCAA tournament. 

Princeton is at Brown tomorrow at 2:30 and then home against Penn State Sunday at noon. After that, there will be a home game against Columbia next Saturday at noon.

The Ivy League tournament will be the second weekend in November, almost surely at Harvard (who would clinch that host role with a win tomorrow against Columbia). At the same time, Princeton, winner of six straight, is currently the No. 2 team in the RPI, followed by Harvard, who is the only remaining unbeaten team in Division I.  

Tiger goalie Olivia Caponiti was the NFHCA Division I Defensive Player of the Week after making 12 saves and allowing three goals in three wins. 

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For the on-ice hockey version, the Princeton women are in Week 2 of the regular season, with a road trip to Brown and Yale. There is a home men's exhibition game Saturday at 7 against Simon Fraser. 

The women's volleyball team has one match this weekend, at home against Penn tomorrow at 7. The top four teams in the Ivy standings have a two-game edge of the next four, with Cornell at 6-1 and Princeton, Brown and Yale all at 5-2. 

The top four reach the Ivy League tournament. 

For the complete schedule, click HERE.