Last weekend, Jordan Burke '09 made 16 saves for the men's lacrosse team (4-1), guiding them to a win over the University of Massachusetts, the second-best team in the country just a season ago. The Commerce, Organizations and Entrepreneurship concentrator from Maryland took over the starting role in goal this season, and despite giving up 12 goals in his first start, the Bears have won four games in a row, with their first Ivy League match-up this weekend at Dartmouth.
Herald: How did you feel going into your first game as a starter against UMBC?Burke: I was pretty nervous going into the first game. The entire game happened really fast. I ended up with 18 saves, which is the most I've had this year, but I also gave up 12 goals. I got a little rattled, and I learned to calm down. I had to play my best, and if I let in a goal, I had to bounce back. They just had a lot of shots and won in OT, 12-11.
Do you consider yourself an aggressive goalie?I'm not too aggressive. When there is a chance to come out of the cage, I won't hesitate to do so, but my main priority is to stop the ball. I'm not really expected to make a play outside of the cage.
What kind of protection do goalies wear?We wear a helmet, chest protector and gloves. I don't wear any arm pads. Besides a cup, I don't wear anything else below the waist.
Does it hurt to get hit with the lacrosse balls?It doesn't hurt anymore. I'm numb to that kind of pain now. I started playing lacrosse as a sixth-grader in Maryland. All my friends had played. One of my good friends now plays at Duke, Tom Clute. My middle school team didn't have a goalie, and they needed someone to step in, so Tom convinced me to play goalie. I had never played lacrosse, but I didn't really know any better.
Did it hurt getting hit with lacrosse balls back then?I didn't like getting hit. The legs are the worst. Getting hit in the quad always left a huge bruise. I could handle being hit almost anywhere else.
What was the worst injury you ever had from standing in front of a shot?During my freshman year in high school, I got hit in the same place a few times, between my right elbow and shoulder. It formed a massive bruise that covered my upper arm, from my bicep to my sternum. It was pretty cool.
Which teammate has the toughest shot to block?It's tough to say. Probably (co-captain) Alex Buckley ('07). He has the hardest shot on the team, but as a midfielder, it's tougher for him to get close to the goal, compared with attackmen. But when he gets his good shot off, it's probably the toughest to stop. Dave Madeira's ('07) shot is also tough. He's been scoring a lot lately. He's an attackman, and he can get a lot closer to the goal compared with a midfielder.
How would you describe practice?Practice has been a lot better this year compared with last year. Coach (Lars) Tiffany ('90) keeps practice really up-tempo with everyone working hard. He knows how hard to work us. Last year with Coach (Scott) Nelson, I didn't think we were working our hardest during practice.
Do you enjoy practicing in the snow?It's a lot of fun, but it's really tough for a goalie. Many of my teammates would pick up snowballs and pretend that they had a lacrosse ball in their sticks. So as a goalie, I try to keep my eyes on the ball, and it seems like everyone had a ball. The ball is tougher to stop in the snow, and I didn't know where the ball was coming from.
How did you manage to defeat UMass last weekend?Well, we were lucky with the weather. The game was supposed to be at 1 (p.m.), but it got pushed back to 4 (p.m.). The weather cleared up, and the field was cleared. Our defense played very well. UMass got a few opportunities in the first quarter, but we were able to maintain their barrage of shots, and they didn't get much after that. Bobby Shields ('07), one of the captains, had been out with a hamstring injury. He came back during this game and looked to be at full speed, causing some important turnovers.
Has your four-game win streak changed your team's mentality?It feels great to be on a four-game win streak, but we are definitely not content with a four-game win streak. This weekend we have our Ivy League opener at Dartmouth, and that is going to be a huge game.
What are your spring break plans?After Dartmouth this weekend, we'll be back at Brown, practicing. Then we play Vermont on Tuesday and Notre Dame later in the week. We don't get a spring break. I haven't had a spring break since I was in fifth grade.
Why are you wearing a blue Duke lacrosse bracelet?One of the former Duke players sent Coach Tiffany a package of blue bracelets to commemorate the Duke players. The bracelet says "Duke Lacrosse 2006, Innocent, #6, #13, and #45." They were the players charged, that canceled their season about a quarter-way though. I wear it because my friend plays for them, and it's my way of showing support for them.
How would your coach describe you?I'm a pretty quiet kid. I've never been outspoken. I've always been quiet, and most coaches know that even if I'm not yelling and screaming, I'm ready to play.
Does being quiet affect your play?During a game, I have to yell and scream. It's a goalie's responsibility to call out the defenses and offensive formations. I guess I come out of my shell during the games.
