May 28, 2000

NCAA DIVISION I MEN'S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIPS PRE-GAME QUOTES

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP - Princeton vs. Syracuse

PRINCETON

HEAD COACH BILL TIERNEY'S OPENING STATEMENT: "We are still on a high from yesterday's game. We kept thinking about how fortunate we are. Now we are thinking about playing Syracuse and I'm not sure how fortunate that is. We played them earlier in the season and they just crushed us 16-4. We're looking forward to redeeming ourselves. Damien Davis has done a fabulous job on defense for us all year long. Kyle Barber is part of the midfield group that has been so strong for us. Our defensive team has been a stalwart for us throughout the season."

KYLE BARBER ON COMPARING THIS TEAM TO THE 1992 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM: "That team was just a bunch of guys that played as team. They didn't have many superstars, they just came together at the end. It's the same way this year. We don't have many superstars. All the guys recognize that and it's something we are all proud of. We all look to each other for leadership."

TIERNEY ON THE 16-4 LOSS TO SYRACUSE EARLIER THIS SEASON: "I think a lot about that game because I feel like we didn't put our best foot forward that day. We've said to the kids from Day One that we are not going to make excuses about it. It was just something that happened. We just hoped that the next time we would see them, we would play a lot better."

SYRACUSE

HEAD COACH JOHN DESKO ON BEING IN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: "It's nice to be here. Last year, with the regular season we had, we didn't know what the playoff situation would be like. With the type of regular season we had this season, this game has always been a goal of ours. We're going to give it our best shot and we know that we have our hands full."

DESKO ON PRINCETON: "Their defense has always been there. They are always playing good lacrosse at this time of the season, especially defensively. Tierney has changed the game of lacrosse with his defense. He has changed the ways in which you can score goals, suffocating you."

DESKO ON THE GAMEPLAN: "We want to take advantage of unsettled situations - 4-on-3's, 5-on-4's.We will look for that. In our settled offense, spacing and movement will be a key for us because of Princeton's defense and their ability to recover. Our guys understand that Princeton is playing better at the end of the year. We're going to have to play smart and shoot smart. This goalie is very good."

TIM BYRNES ON THE 16-4 WIN BY SYRACUSE EARLIER THIS SEASON: "Princeton is 5-0 in title games. We need to look at that and not at the 16-4 win. We have to put that out of our minds because this is a different game."

BYRNES ON THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: "The seniors take this one personally because we've been here four years and want to win the big one. It doesn't matter who we play, because we have to bring our 'A" game in order to win at this time of year."