PU tries to snap streak

Tigers’ finish key at Cornell

By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
   The Princeton University locker room was a tough place to stay after Saturday’s 24-20 loss to Harvard for their second Ivy League defeat.
   Princeton had done everything but close out the game with a victory, and the disappointment and frustration hung in the air.
   ”It was just heartbreaking,” said offensive tackle J.P. Makrai.
   It could have been a poisonous environment, with a damaging second Ivy loss, but right in that locker room Makrai and his Tiger teammate began their healing and focused themselves on the next step. Princeton hopes to snap a three-game losing streak when it plays at Cornell 1 p.m. Saturday.
   ”Just from playing the game so long, you know there are ups and downs,” Makrai said. “When you get frustrated, you can look at two ways. You can either give up on the season or you can play and you can win the next four games. We have great guys, Scott Britton and Mark Paski, great leaders on the team that just aren’t going to let us get down.
   ”It was good because after the game, Coach Hughes said he wasn’t going to give up on this team. He wasn’t calling it quits and we were going to win the next four games. I think that says it all. That gives you the mentality to think we’re going to win, and we need to have better practices because the better we practice, the better we play.”
   Both Princeton and Cornell are hungry for a win. The Tigers are 2-4 overall, 1-2 in the Ivy League. Cornell has also lost three straight to fall to 3-3 overall, 1-2 in league. The Big Red will host the game on their new synthetic turf field.
   ”Cornell has been, at least over the last five years, extremely difficult to beat at their place,” said PU head coach Roger Hughes. “Obviously that’s a big concern for us. They play well up there.
   ”For whatever reason, their kids really play well at home. When you’re establishing a program, that’s one of things you want to do is make sure you defend your home turf. They’ve done that over the last five years. With exception of the snow game, when we got six inches of snow during the game in 2004, we have not played well up there.”
   The Tigers plan to rotate quarterbacks Brian Anderson and Dan Kopolovich again this week after doing so effectively against Harvard. Anderson is considered the stronger thrower; Kopolovich the better runner.
   ”You’re going to see that all year long,” Hughes said, “because Brian’s injury is of the nature that it takes more time than just seven days to heal up. We try to minimize the number of hits he takes so that he doesn’t reinjure it. We’re doing the same thing. I thought Dan in his role did a very job and he brings some added dimensions with his speed and running ability. One thing he did very well last week was pass the ball very well. You’re going to see us continue that rotation.”
   The Tigers also figure to let Jordan Culbreath see his share of carries. The junior is the Ivy League’s leading rusher at 105.8 yards per game, more than 23 yards more than the next closest back. For that, Hughes and Culbreath have steadily given credit to the offensive line. Makrai returns the favor.
   ”First of all, Jordan is just a great back,” he said. “I love Jordan. He’s the best running back I’ve seen here. Secondly, the offensive line, we wanted to run the ball. In the offseason, we trained really hard. We wanted to get stronger and faster. We were going to make the coaches give Jordan the carries so that he could get the yards. We wanted to run the ball this year, and that’s what we’re doing.”
   Even if Cornell does focus on Culbreath, Makrai is confident that the offensive line can open the holes for the slippery back. The big thing for the Tigers will be opening those holes from the start of the game all the way to the final gun.
   ”I felt like we played definitely better than Harvard,” Hughes said. “Our goal is to be the most physical team on the field and take care of football, and clearly we did that. We didn’t make the plays to win the game. That’s what we’re focusing on this week is make sure we finish.”
   It’s something that should lead to a much happier Princeton locker room.