HOMECOMING DANCE: Mie Graham steps through the defensive zone last Saturday for the Duke University women’s lacrosse team as it faced Princeton at The Class of 1952 Stadium. The former Princeton High standout and junior defender for Duke enjoyed her homecoming, helping the Blue Devils edge the Tigers 12-9. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

It was a long-awaited homecoming for Mie Graham but she didn’t get to spend much time at home.

Last Saturday, the former Princeton High star athlete returned to her old stomping grounds as a starting junior defender for the Duke University women’s lacrosse team which was facing Princeton at The Class of 1952 Stadium.

“This was definitely on my calendar,” said a smiling Graham, who was cheered on by her parents and some former PHS teammates.

“It was fun knowing that the Princeton High girls’ lacrosse team was here. I had talked to coach [Christie] Cooper before the game and she told me they were all coming out. I was excited to come up here and play. It is just weird staying at a hotel when you are at home. We were at the Marriott Forrestal last night.”

The 5’8 Graham had a lot of fun as the day unfolded, helping a stingy Duke
defense hold the fort as the fifth-ranked Blue Devils beat Princeton 12-9.

For much of the game, Graham was matched up against Princeton’s leading scorer Jaci Gassaway and she stepped up to the challenge, helping to hold the Tiger star to just one goal.

“We tend to share our matchups but in terms of size and strength that is kind of how our coaches matched us up against attackers,” explained Graham.

“Gassaway and I match up well against each other. I enjoy playing on the crease and she is one of the quarterbacks of the offense behind the cage. So that is someone I ended up seeing a lot.”

Graham was quick to point out that she got plenty of help from her colleagues on the Blue Devil defensive corps.

“We lost one of our star defenders, Bridget Nolan, who tore her ACL; a lot of us are upperclassmen who have seen a lot of time before so we are lucky in that we are adjusting to losing Bridget,” said Graham, who has picked up seven ground ball and caused three turnovers so far this season for the 5-2 Blue Devils.

“We are not subbing too much on the defense, the four of us are basically playing the whole game but it is good for our
consistency. Playing with Molly [Mackler] in the cage, we all feel so comfortable together right now. I feel like we are all at the same level of maturity right now and we are all really working well together so it is really a unit.”

Displaying the stick skills that made her a potent scorer for PHS, Graham also helped trigger the Duke offense with some good clears out of the defensive zone.

“I think it is a trust thing playing on the field I didn’t play much last year or the year before,” said Graham, who was going to get to spend one day at home this week after Duke played Stony Brook on Monday.

“This year, Molly can throw me a good clear and I can get it up the field. That is a great thing about Duke. Our transition has always been such a pride thing for us; we really move the ball up the field well. We put in all the work in practice. These are things that I know how to do and that I have been doing for years so it is just trusting that and having confidence.”