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Princeton's Mike Merlone Named November 23 Men's Varsity Southern Division Player of the Week
BRIDGEPORT, Pa. -- Mike Merlone (Jr., Atherton, Calif./The Menlo School) of No. 18-nationally ranked Princeton University recorded 23 saves, including seven in the title game against No. 12-ranked Navy, to lead the Tigers to the 2009 Men's Eastern Championship and earn the Collegiate Water Polo Association's Southern Division Player of the Week award. Princeton will continue the season at home on December 5-6 for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship.
Against the host Engineers of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the first round of the three-day tournament on November 20-22, he posted eight saves as the Tigers recorded an 11-9 victory. He followed the performance up with eight stops in a 7-6 victory over Bucknell University in the semifinals before posting seven stops against the three-time defending champion Midshipmen.
The title marks the Princeton's third Eastern Championship in six title games following victories in 2004 (vs. St. Francis College) and 1992 (vs. Slippery Rock University) and losses in 2003 (vs. Navy), 2006 (vs. Navy) and 2008 (vs. Navy).
