Men's lax to open season with No. 4 Johns Hopkins

In college football, it's Notre Dame-Michigan. In college basketball, it's North Carolina-UCLA. In college lacrosse, it's Princeton-Johns Hopkins.

Two of the most storied programs in collegiate men's lacrosse square off tomorrow on historic Homewood Field in both schools' season opener.

Princeton, the two-time defending national champions, enters the game with high expectations for the upcoming campaign, a No. 1 ranking in Face-Off Magazine's preseason poll and a school-record 28-game winning streak. No. 4 Johns Hopkins, however, will be out for revenge after a 7-6 overtime loss at 1952 Stadium in the 1997 season debut.

The matchup will pit strength upon weakness and weakness upon strength.

Architecture

The Tigers' strengths lie in their attackmen and close defenders, and as a result will favor ball-control style and structured offensive and defensive sets. Senior attackmen Chris Massey, Jesse Hubbard and Jon Hess, who comprise the most potent attack trio in the nation, present a difficult, three-headed nightmare for a Blue Jay defense that only has two experienced close defensemen – Rob Doerr and John Paleologos. The Hopkins pair replace three seniors, including two first-team All-Americans.

At the other end of the field, senior defenseman Christian Cook, and junior defensemen Kurt Lunkenheimer and John Harring-ton will have to contend with a depleted Blue Jay attack. Dan Denihan unexpectedly withdrew from school this spring, while second-team All-American Dudley Dixon is not completely healed after an off-season shoulder injury.

"Dudley is the kind of player who can go silent for four and a half minutes, and all of a sudden get four goals," Hess said. "He hurt us last year (with three goals)."

In between the attack and defense, lies Hopkins' greatest strength: Andrew Godfrey, Matt O'Kelly and sophomore phenom A.J. Haugen.

"They have one of the strongest, if not the strongest, midfield lines in the country," Cook said. "Haugen is their big boy. He's one of the best sophomore midfielders in the country."

In contrast, the Tigers remain relatively unproven at midfielder beyond first-team All-American junior Lorne Smith. While first-line newcomer sophomore Josh Sims did score last year's overtime game winner against the Blue Jays, he, Smith and sophomore linemate Chris Berrier may be run ragged by the deeper Hopkins middies.

"They'll probably dodge with their middies from up top and the wings," Hubbard said. "They're more dangerous up there."

The defensive midfield also remains a question mark. In addition, head coach Bill Tierney still has yet to decide on a goaltender among senior Neal DiBello, junior Corey Popham and freshman Trevor Tierney.