Five Things to Know Before Saturday's Scrimmage

The Syracuse men's lacrosse team begins their fallball slate on Saturday at Cortland with a much anticipated scrimmage against Denver. Here's five things to know about the matchup:

1. LOGISTICS
- The game will be played at SUNY Cortland. Tickets to watch cost $5 at the gate.
- The event is part of Cortland Lacrosse's Legends weekend.

2. BATTLE OF LEGENDARY COACHES
- This is the first matchup between John Desko and Bill Tierney, since the Orange defeated the Pioneers 9-8 in the 2013 NCAA Semifinal, but it's hardly a rare showdown between the two.
- The two coaches have combined for 12 NCAA titles and 657 wins as head coaches. Tierney (7) and Desko (5) are the two active leaders in the titles category. If you include their time as assistants, the duo has claimed half of the NCAA Division I titles (20-of-40) that have been contested since Desko's first season as an SU assistant in 1980.
- As head coaches, Desko holds a 13-5 advantage over Tierney. All-time including when Desko was an assistant and four matchups while Tierney was an assistant at Johns Hopkins, Syracuse holds a 17-10 advantage over Tierney's teams.
- The duo have also squared off in legendary moments. Desko won his first NCAA title as a head coach against Tierney's Princeton squad in 2000. Tierney won his first title as a head coach in 1992 against the Orange. Tierney also coached his first game at Denver against Syracuse in 2010.
- While Saturday is just a fall exhibition contest, the duo have faced off on the biggest stages. Desko and Tierney coached teams have faced each other in the NCAA Tournament 11 times, including five NCAA title games and three NCAA semifinal matchups.

3. NEW FACES
- Saturday's scrimmage features opportunity for 18 new members of the Syracuse lacrosse family to see action.
- Desko welcomed 17 freshmen and one transfer to the team (Chase Scanlan/Loyola) to the program this fall.
- For more information on the rookies, visit here: MEET THE NEWCOMERS

4. RETURNING TALENT PLENTIFUL
- The new faces to the roster will be surrounded by plenty of familiar names for Orange fans.
- 'Cuse returns the entirety of its starting midfield from a year ago, five of the six players that ended the season on the top-two lines, including USILA All-Americans Jamie Trimboli and Brendan Curry. The team also will see Tucker Dordevic return after he was sidelined last season due to injury after a breakout freshman campaign in 2018.
- The attack will have to replace a pair of starters, but Stephen Rehfuss, who led the team in assists last year, will lead the group.
- Defensively, All-Americans Nick Mellen, Peter Dearth and Brett Kennedy are set to star for a group that returns its starting netminder (Porter), top-two LSMs (Kennedy and Fernandez), the majority of its SSDMs and talented close defenders to play alongside Mellen.

5. ALUMNI GAME UP NEXT
- Saturday's scrimmage at Cortland is the first of two public opportunities to catch the Orange this season.
- The highlight of the fall will once again be the Orange Alumni Classic on Saturday, Oct. 19 in the Dome.
- Full information on the Alumni Game can be found here: ORANGE ALUMNI CLASSIC

BONUS: SEASON TICKETS NOW ON SALE
Season tickets are now on sale. You can be part of that action and join the nation's largest lacrosse crowds by purchasing season tickets for just $65 for adults and $35 for youth (12 and under). Student tickets are free with a valid student ID.

Present season ticket holders can renew their tickets through their MyCuse Account. Season tickets for the upcoming season are now on sale at Cuse.com/tickets and at the Syracuse Box Office (888-DOME-TIX or in person at the Ensley Athletic Center).

Syracuse University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Brendan Curry

Peter Dearth

Tucker Dordevic

Brett Kennedy

Nick Mellen

Stephen Rehfuss

Jamie Trimboli

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