Christina Zink was worried. She knew the moment would come when her sons, Alex and Lee, would face each other on the lacrosse field. She just wished it wasn’t that moment.

She had avoided it up until a windy February day in College Park, Md., earlier this year. In the past two seasons, when Alex would enter the game for Syracuse, his brother would already be sitting on the bench. But now they were both in the game. Alex on offense. Lee on defense. Twin vs. twin.

That was this spring, when Alex, who plays for Syracuse, faced his twin brother Lee, who plays for Maryland. On Saturday, Alex will be in action for Syracuse when the Orangemen play Loyola (Md.) (3-3) at 1 p.m. in the Carrier Dome.

On that February day, a Maryland defender asked Lee if he wanted to guard his brother. Lee declined the offer.

What? They had gone up against each other their whole lives, in the backyard, in practice. This was Lee’s chance to get some revenge. For the teasing in which Alex – older by two minutes – claimed he was bigger and stronger. For the bruises, which each suffered by jabs with their lacrosse sticks. For the gold watch that Alex owns, but not Lee: a gift from the NCAA for winning the lacrosse championship in 2002.

And Lee still backed off.

‘I don’t think that he would have wanted to one-up his brother,’ Christina said. ‘It’s all right for his team to win, but you don’t have to personally do it to the other person. I, personally, was glad.’

But Lee wins the accolades. He’s the all-America defender. Alex said, frankly, that when matched up head-to-head, Lee would have the advantage. But Lee wouldn’t take it.

‘We had been so competitive,’ Lee said. ‘Now we’re past that point. We don’t need to compete against each other. Our parents didn’t want it to happen. I just didn’t want to be in that competitive nature. It wasn’t somewhere that I wanted to go. Times have changed.’

‘Lee was scared,’ said SU’s Brian Nee, half-joking. ‘That’s what I think.’

But really, it was Christina, in the stands, that didn’t want her boys making the game too personal.

‘My fear was I didn’t want them on each other,’ she said. ‘You didn’t want either child wanting to prove something on the other.’

And neither did the Zinks. Christina says they were always nice to each other. No fighting. Well, maybe just a little. But they were more best friends than brothers.

For Alex, having a twin meant instant companionship. He always had a partner to throw a ball around. In turn, they honed their skills. Alex, an attacker, could practice every day against Lee, a staunch defender.

‘The fact that we play opposite positions has helped both of us improve and develop light years,’ Alex said.

But when it came to applying for college, they needed to separate. Alex was always the shy twin. Lee, Christina said, was like a bull in a china shop. Although they were twins, they had different personalities. And they needed room to grow.

‘The best thing for the two of them is that they went to different schools,’ Christina said. ‘Going off on your own, you have to be responsible. Syracuse was really good for him. I watch him as a parent and the confidence that he has in talking to people. I didn’t see that before.’

Lee says they got sick of seeing each other every day, in practice, at school, at home. But now that they’ve been apart, they’re closer than they’ve ever been. Alex and Lee visit often, and each are friendly with players from Maryland and Syracuse (6-1).

It would make for a tough situation if they were to play in an official game. Last season they came close. Both Maryland and SU made the Final Four, but each school lost in its semifinal game. This spring could be their best – and last – shot for the senior twins to meet on the field. With Maryland ranked No. 1 and Syracuse No. 3, it’s a likely possibility. Not to mention another opportunity for another Zink brother to grab a gold championship watch.

‘That would be wonderful,’ Christina said. ‘For anyone to make a Final Four is really exciting. There’s not a jealousy going on. You have to be happy.’

Published on April 7, 2004 at 12:00 pm