It was the moment that Matt Breslin had dreamed about. After battling senior goalie Craig Seyffer all season long, men's lacrosse coach Mike Pressler finally gave the freshman his first starting nod.
And this was not just any start. It was the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships, against two-time defending champion Princeton.
"I was thrilled, ecstatic," Breslin said. "When you're growing up you always want to start in the big game-this was the biggest."
But 30 seconds into the game, Breslin's mood went the way of the first ball that soared past him into the net.
"The whole year built up to Princeton and then I didn't really perform like I'd like to," he said. "They just had such great confidence in themselves."
Since that season-ending 11-9 loss to the Tigers, the Blue Devils have been building up their own confidence. And they do not intend for this season to end the way the last two have: with a loss to Princeton.
Breslin is well aware that he may be the key to fulfilling the expectations the team has set for itself.
"I don't think any of us will be satisfied if we come up short of the national championship," he said. "I think I'm the big question mark on our team."
His teammates, however, think Breslin may function more as an exclamation mark.
"He's really grown up in the last year and become one of the best goalies in the country," midfielder Adam Dretler said. "Mentally he's toughened up a lot."
Dretler saw Breslin's reaction to the Princeton game as a marker of his modesty and determination.
"I thought he played well," Dretler said. "Everybody thought he played well. Like a lot of us, he doesn't accept failure and he tries to take the blame. The fact that he does feel so strongly about it just shows his dedication."
That dedication will be necessary if Breslin is to fill the large shoes of his predecessors.
Joe Kirmser won All-ACC and All-America honors when he graduated in '97 and has already become a legend of Duke lacrosse. And Seyffer, who spent three years as Kirmser's backup, led the nation in goals-against average last season. Toward the end of the season, Seyffer began splitting time with Breslin, who was sidelined early in the season with a broken thumb.
"We recruited Matt coming out of high school to be Joe Kirmser's replacement, to be the starter of the future," Pressler said. "You don't recruit a goalie every year. We had our eyes set on Matt; he was the incumbent."
With Breslin between the pipes, Duke's attack may look considerably different. While Seyffer was larger and utilized body blocks, Breslin is much quicker, which Pressler believes will lead to more transition chances.
"He's a student of his position; he's fundamentally and technically very sound and he's good at clearing," Pressler said. "I think he's better at clearing than Joe Kirmser at the same age. When he catches the ball and releases it quickly, we're a threat to score from anywhere. He ignites our transition game."
In high school, Breslin anchored his lacrosse team to two state championships, while also playing varsity basketball and football. Unlike most other kids in New Jersey, where lacrosse is relatively obscure, Breslin comes from a lacrosse family in a lacrosse town.
"When you walk down the street in the spring in my town you don't see any kid without a lacrosse stick in his hand," he said. "It's a town of 8,000 people, one mile long and lacrosse is probably the main attraction."
Breslin began playing lacrosse in second grade with his twin brother, who plays for Hobart. He later took up goalie to be like his older brother, who played at Ohio Wesleyan. Thriving on the pressure, he embraced the position.
"Everybody says you need to have a screw loose to play goalie, but I think it's a blast," he said. "I like the pressure. You can be the team hero or the team loser."
His teammates are certain he'll be more of the hero.
"He's a quiet leader," Dretler said. "Everybody loves him on the team. He's only a sophomore but he's really gained respect."
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