It is a continual debate. Youth versus experience. For the Northeastern volleyball team, youth won out in the First Annual Alumni Game.

At the 2006 Spring Invitational, the Huskies hosted Rhode Island, Maine and University of Connecticut as well as a Northeastern alumni team in an all-day tournament on Saturday at Solomon Court in Cabot Gymnasium.

In the final game of the day, the current Huskies took on the alumni team, and beat them in three games.

“This is something we absolutely want to continue,” coach Ken Nichols said. “Next year we hope to make it bigger. This year the key word is impromptu. It was very last minute.”

The alumni team consisted of 2005 graduates Larissa Adomat and Brandie Genibrel and class of 2004s Karrin Moore, Whitney Weinkoop and Shannon Brooker. Kristin Ursillo and Bri Furch represented the class of 2003 and Lindsey Wagner and Kelly Cognac were the 2002 grads participating. Weinkoop was the unofficial alumni captain, helping pull the team together.

“The girls all said they had fun and want to return for this event next year,” Nichols said. “What is most gratifying and humbling is that I graduated all these girls.”

Earlier in the tournament, every team played three games against each other. The Huskies won all three against URI but only took one each from Maine and UConn.

“We rotated the lineup based on equity,” Nichols said. “We never had our strongest combination out there, but for the first spring tournament we just wanted to get everyone equal playing time.”

The tournament was a good sign for the injury-plagued Huskies who finished the season 11-16 (8-10 Colonial Athletic Association).

“Everyone is close to 100 percent and they all played well,” Nichols said.

The volleyball season begins in August.