PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- There's a new Memorial Day tradition: Princeton and Syracuse playing for the NCAA lacrosse championship.

The schools, which have combined to win 12 of the last 14 titles, will meet for their third straight championship game Monday at Rutgers.

"Both teams are pretty close. We have a lot of friends on both teams,'' Syracuse senior defender John Glatzel said. "We like to say, 'Keep it in the family.' But it will be even sweeter to take the championship back to Syracuse.''

Syracuse won its seventh title two years ago, beating the Tigers 13-7. But Princeton took the crown back last year, beating Syracuse 10-9 on an overtime goal by B.J. Prager.

Prager had five goals Saturday as the fourth-seeded Tigers beat top-seeded Johns Hopkins 11-9 in the opening semifinal.

The second-seeded Orangemen advanced after Tom Hardy scored late in the second overtime for a 12-11 win over third-seeded Virginia.

"A lot of people have come to expect these teams in these games, and have become more familiar with us,'' Syracuse coach John Desko said Sunday. "I think people can turn on the TV and know who (Michael) Powell is, or (Josh) Coffman, Glatzel, (Ryan) Boyle or Prager. So I think that's great for the sport.''

There is also a subplot in this meeting.

Princeton coach Bill Tierney is tied with former Syracuse coach Roy Simmons Jr. for the career coaching record for championships at six.

Simmons' mark has an asterisk in record book because the NCAA ruled Syracuse used an ineligible player to win the 1990 title. But the book still lists Simmons with six titles.

"I don't want to even put myself in the same class with Roy Simmons,'' Tierney said Sunday. "I put myself in a category of being a fortunate man in a place that has been good to me, Princeton.

"When you talk about Roy Simmons, you talk about an era of lacrosse and a wonderful man who has given so much to our game.''

Tierney didn't win his first title at Princeton until 1992. His teams are 6-1 in championship games.

Syracuse beat the Tigers 11-8 on March 23 in a game at Princeton.

The players won't have to spend much time with scouting reports. This will be the eighth time in the last four years the lacrosse powerhouses have played.

"It just wouldn't be a championship without us,'' said Powell, a sophomore attackman for Syracuse. "We're the best two teams and we'll see who is the best team on Monday.''