Past and present Tigers face off tonight in annual men's lacrosse alumni game

Though lacrosse won't be dominating the Princeton sports world for a few more months, action from the men's lacrosse team will provide sports fans with a bit of distraction from the gridiron tonight.

Head coach Bill Tierney and his squad will engage in a match that will pitch Orange against Black and Tiger against Tiger: It's the annual fall Alumni game, in which the current team faces a squad of some of the most skilled Princeton lacrosse alumni.

"It's just fun to have these guys come back," Tierney said.

The guest list is impressive. Returning players include Tierney's two sons, Trevor '01 and Brendan '02. Trevor, a goalie, won the Major League Lacrosse championship this summer with the Baltimore Bayhawks.

Jesse Hubbard '98, one of the best lacrosse players ever to play the sport, will also suit up for the match. He'll be complemented by fellow attackmen Jon Hess '98 and Chris Massey '98, a venerable trio that shredded many defenses in its heyday.

What remains to be seen, though, is whether they can sink their teeth into this year's Tiger defense.

"About five or six years ago ... we [decided] we wanted a tough game in the fall, so some of the older guys stopped coming, and now it's become guys in the '90s and early 2000s coming back, so we've got a really competitive thing going," Tierney said.

Tierney noted that of the 29 players slated to attend from the classes of 1994 through 2002, six or seven of the returning alumni play lacrosse professionally. That isn't the case for all of them, though.

"In some cases I'm sure it's the first time they've played in a long time," Tierney said. "Some are playing club ball currently, some are playing in the pro leagues. I'm sure some will gear it up and come back ready to roll."

That's exactly what Tierney is counting on, and if history has been any indicator, it should be a competitive match.

Two years ago, the alumni won the match, 12-11. Last year, Tierney's players led 10-8 with about eight minutes left to play when a storm swept through the region. Eager to pull out a victory in the friendly match, Tierney sent associate head coach David Metzbower to turn off the lights at Class of 1952 Stadium and thereby stop the game.

"I felt like they were coming back to beat us, so we stole one there," Tierney said, laughing.

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He was quick to point out, though, that the game is more than just a preseason test of next spring's team.

The tremendous amount of success the team has experienced in the past decade and a half — spanning six national championships — has helped bring together both players of the Tierney era and those who played before his time.

Tonight's game is not the only Princeton lacrosse get-together planned for this week. Lacrosse alumni will gather in New York City on Thursday night of this week for a fundraiser to support a charity, Lacrosse for Life, founded by Josh Miller '95. A varsity lacrosse alum, Miller passed away this past June. Lacrosse for Life aims to create after-school lacrosse programs for urban schoolchildren in San Francisco, encouraging personal improvement and character development.

Tonight, though, it's all about whether old school can steal victory back from new school.

Whether it functions as a barometer for where this year's team stands or as a catalyst for Tiger spirit across the ages, tonight's alumni game is certain to ensure that the spirit of unity among Princeton lacrosse players and alumni still runs strong.