This weekend marks the confluence of a lot of lacrosse history. The Princeton-Syracuse men's lacrosse rivalry scantly needs repeating. The teams have won 10 of the last 12 men's national championships — and played in a host of legendary contests. On the women's side, Dartmouth has spoiled Princeton's Ivy title hopes the last two years with two thrilling one-goal wins over the Tigers.
But the most compelling history unfolding this weekend could be between head coach Bill Tierney's Tigers and head coach Dave Pietramala's Cornell Big Red.
Lesser known in the annals of Princeton lacrosse is a game played in Ithaca, N.Y., on April 22, 1995 against a Cornell team coming off a 1-10 'campaign.'
The defending national champion Tigers came to town and took an 8-5 lead on the Big Red four minutes into the fourth quarter. In 11 minutes, the Tigers saw that lead evaporate and Cornell storm off the field with a 9-8 spoiler victory. The game cost Princeton an outright Ivy League title, dropped them to No. 8 in the national polls and threatened their postseason prospects.
"The consequences are drastic," Tierney said after the game. "Now we're playing for our lives just to make the playoffs."
In a team meeting the next fall, that game was still on Tierney's mind. He told the incoming freshmen in the sternest terms that in their four years with the program they would never lose to Cornell.
And they never did — to Cornell or any other Ivy League team.
Following that loss, the Tigers would outscore Cornell 68-25 in their next four meetings. Tierney's promise — and command — to the Class of 1999 was fulfilled. Since that game, Princeton has won 29 consecutive Ivy League games — and looks for No. 30 against the Big Red tomorrow.
Tierney's four-year plan has now expired — but Princeton continues to dominate the league in pursuit of its sixth straight Ivy title. This weekend, however, the Tigers will face the toughest test of their Ivy supremacy in a long time.
Head coach Dave Pietramala has spearheaded a rebirth of the Big Red program in just three years at the helm. The height of this Big Red renaissance came April 12, when Cornell conquered in-state archrival Syracuse, 13-12, for the first time since 1987.
There was a time, not too long ago, when Cornell was the team to beat in the Ivy League, competing yearly for the national title. The Big Red still owns the record for consecutive Ivy League victories. And with the chance to end Princeton's streak tomorrow, Pietramala would like to keep it that way.
Ivy League men's lacrosse has been Princeton & Co. for a while now — but Tierney's team doesn't take anything for granted. The coach opens every season stating plainly that his team's first goal is simply to win the Ivy League.
And this week — even with the storied Syracuse matchup looming Sunday — Tierney has been insisting that his team is preparing for Cornell and no other. With another Ivy League title in the balance, Tierney knows not to put all his eggs in Easter Sunday's basket.
With Cornell's resurgence, an Ivy League title may not be as simple a goal for Princeton from now on. This is not the sign of parity in the league, but it is the mark of an evolving rivalry.
Along with the Syracuse upset, an Ivy League title would complete Cornell's rapid ascent under Pietramala. With Tierney-esque zeal, the coach is gunning for history.
And a new chapter will be written this weekend.
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