Allie Murray's last shot at lacrosse comes in net for the Orange
That feeling, the competitive itch to pick the lacrosse stick back up, hit Allie Murray whenever she played sports with the kids. After graduating from Notre Dame in three years, she worked in youth development for a university-affiliated community center in South Bend, Indiana.
She taught reading, writing, even a little lacrosse during daily after-school programs. While searching for graduate programs, she kept thinking about her final year of eligibility. In UND’s 2014 regular season finale, Murray’s last-ever start, she allowed six goals on seven shots and was pulled after seven minutes and 41 seconds. The opponent, then-No. 1 Syracuse.
Then she walked away, unsure if she’d ever play again. She had no idea her career would be resurrected at the same school that once ended it.
A second chance I never thought I'd have.Allie Murray
It was the solution Syracuse didn’t expect. After falling short in the national semifinal, the Orange lost just three key players, one of whom was goalie Kelsey Richardson. An injury to sophomore Melina Woon Avery left the position in question. The answer arrived when Murray visited SU with her mother and enrolled in a graduate Child and Family Studies program. Murray’s unorthodox path to Syracuse mirrors her unorthodox style of play, which at times has left her on the bench and other times “unbeatable.” Head coach Gary Gait still has yet to officially name a starter but tabbed Murray the frontrunner.
“I’d like to say we took a leap of faith, but it really wasn’t,” said assistant coach Regy Thorpe. “It was a no-brainer. … What I love about her is that she’s hungry, she gets another chance.”
She missed two fall practices per week because of teaching assistant obligations, but made up for it by consuming hours of film in 30-minute chunks and playing in 20-plus scrimmages. Since arriving at SU, Murray has also groomed SU’s future. Teammate and first-team All-American Halle Majorana said she never turns down offers to take extra shots. Murray developed a routine for goalkeepers of “next-level drills” featuring footwork, clearing and hand-eye coordination.
Courtesy of John Strohsacker | Inside Lacrosse
Allie Murray stands in net for Syracuse during the team’s scrimmage against Florida on Jan. 11
Murray’s been working on those drills since high school. At Downington East (Pennsylvania), she had the quickest hand-eye coordination Lee Krug had seen in 39 years of coaching. During game warm-ups Krug usually scored at will from six yards out on most high school goalkeepers, but Murray surprised him. Krug shot harder. It made no difference. Sometimes, he thought Murray was laughing at him.
Her reflexes helped develop an approach Krug had never seen before. When faced with a 1-on-1, Murray aggressively took one or two steps out to the right or left. Typically, goalkeepers step straight to the player, forcing them to choose a side to attack. Murray chose for them, cutting off shooting angles to one side, but leaving an open net on the other. Murray watched, waiting for the shot and then used her reflexes to meet the attacker’s stick. It reminded Krug of a basketball player blocking a shot.
The coaching staff tried to change her approach, but she kept winning, became a high school All-American and they abandoned the project. Murray carried the aggression to Notre Dame under Christine Halfpenny and now Syracuse.
She’s not shackled back there. She comes out and makes plays. We’re going to give up some open-netters probably here or there. She’s fun to watch. She’s really like an eighth defender.Regy Thorpe
A few times during her senior year of high school, Murray was subbed out mid-game because, Krug said, she didn’t seem interested. When she played well, she excelled, but she struggled with consistency.
Krug, Halfpenny and Thorpe all said when Murray goes on a “hot streak,” she’ll make game-changing saves. Each coach used the word “unbeatable.” Once, when Halfpenny said Murray got “really hot,” she made eight saves, including one in the final minute on a free position shot to preserve a Fighting Irish one-goal upset over No. 4 Northwestern. Forty-five days later, she was subbed out against Syracuse.
That feeling — the happiness of picking up a lacrosse stick again — hit Murray when she stepped back onto the turf. She shares a house with her fifth-year teammates and relishes seeing shots again. She allowed goals this fall, but even that felt OK when the defense formed around her.
“It’s unlike anything else,” Murray said of teammates, for whom she has plans. “… We have a good opportunity at winning (the national championship).
“I know it’s my last shot.”
