Men's lax prepares for struggling Towson with deep ties in mind

Growing up, Towson native Joe Cummings spent hours learning to play lacrosse and honing his skills on the fields of the university near his home.

"Towson's basically in my backyard," he said.

Cummings has moved on from his childhood stomping grounds to become a starting attackman for the Terrapin men's lacrosse team, helping lead it to two top-20 wins this season.

Saturday, the sophomore will play his first game at Byrd Stadium, the Terps' storied home field and one of the top lacrosse venues in the country. Due to stadium renovations, the Terps have not played a home game in Byrd in nearly two years.

But for Cummings, even all the excitement can't match the chance to play Towson tomorrow, even if the Tigers are unranked and winless.

Cummings' roots with Towson University goes beyond the school itself — he also has many friends on the roster. But while he looks forward to seeing his friends and various teammates from high school all-star games, he wants nothing more than to help the No. 6 Terps (3-0, 1-0 ACC) beat the Tigers (0-2).

"You get out there and you give them, like, a high five, slap on the butt or something. And then they're an enemy," Cummings said. "After the game's over, you're best friends again, but once the game starts, it's your team versus theirs, so you're going to do whatever you can to beat them."

Cummings is far from the only Terp who claims connections to Towson. Three more Terps call Towson home. Five are former high school teammates of Towson players. Even more have played with Tigers on various other teams and at lacrosse camps, forming a web of relationships between the programs. Senior goalie Brian Phipps will even face his two best friends.

"I'd have bragging rights from then on, so hopefully we can take them out," Phipps said.

Two players have more direct links between the schools than most. Midfielder Eric Boyle transferred from Towson to this university in the fall of 2008. He redshirted last year because of eligibility requirements, so this weekend he will face his former team for the first time.

On the other side, former Terp Will Harrington leads the Tigers in goals and is tied for lead in points, with six goals and an assist through the team's first two games. He played his freshman season for the Terps in 2006 before switching sides in the rivalry.

The Terps recognize that friendly but fierce competition will fuel both sides in Saturday's match. And Towson will have an added incentive — revenge. The Tigers have lost eight straight against the Terps.

But Terp players think their return to Byrd Stadium, which has hosted numerous Final Fours and can serve as an intimidating atmosphere for visiting teams, will serve as a boost.

The Terps last played in the stadium in the opening round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. While it underwent renovation last year, they played their home games at Ludwig Field, a much smaller venue that hosts the men's and women's soccer teams.

Besides the greater home field advantage on a more impressive stage — Byrd is a massive stadium that seats more than 50,000 — coach Dave Cottle said the pending return invigorated the team at practice this week.

But he has cautioned his players, including Cummings, against letting their excitement get the best of them, especially against a Towson team that prefers a slow pace that could disrupt the Terps' high-speed attack.

"We've got to play hard, and we're doing a good job of that," Cottle said. "But we also have to play smart, and we have to control our emotions. The tempo, we've got to be the ones controlling the tempo. That's a big factor this game."

kyanchulis@umdbk.com