When asked how it feels to finally be the starting goalkeeper for the Penn men's lacrosse team, Greg Murray apologized.
"It's hard to put into words . sorry about that," the senior said.
Considering the hard work he's put in and the perpetual waiting he's endured, Murray has earned the right to sit a question out. After all, sitting out has been something the former High School All-American has become all too accustomed to.
After riding the pine for the first three years of his collegiate career, Murray won the starting goalie job in an open competition - which included last year's starter and current junior Chris Casey as well as heralded freshman Joe Hegener - this fall. But Murray's time on the sideline gave him an opportunity to think things over.
"Sitting on the bench [was] a pretty sobering experience," he said. "I learned all about what the program is about, and I definitely learned how to be a leader."
Coming from a lacrosse background, the Thornton, Pa., native was used to success coming easily. Murray's father and grandfather both played goalie for Syracuse during their college days.
"I really just have a great passion for the sport as a result of that," the benchwarmer-turned-captain said.
Murray remembers that his father, Clem - now a senior photographer for The Philadelphia Inquirer - "showed [him] the ropes in the backyard."
"I was grateful to have pretty much a coach for as long as I can remember," Greg said.
After a successful high-school career as a four-year starter at West Chester East - which included a Suburban League MVP and three All-League selections - Murray struggled to find playing time at Penn. He was finally called upon to start the last game of his junior season, in which he recorded nine saves in a 13-9 win over then-No. 18 Army.
"It was an amazing feeling," the Quakers' goalie recalled. "I was really grateful to get the opportunity, and I knew that I wasn't going to blow it. I had been waiting so long."
The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Murray kept the momentum from that first start going into this year, quickly earning the respect of his teammates.
"I have all the confidence in the world in him," fellow senior captain Craig Andrzejewski said. "He's worked really hard to get into this spot and I think he definitely doesn't want to give that up."
And Murray has embraced his role as a team leader.
"As a goalie, you're the quarterback of the defense," he said. "You've got to keep . everybody focused [and] be that one guy that everybody can look to," he said.
Andrzejewski thinks his teammate will be just fine in a leadership position.
"He's a real good communicator on the field," he explained. "He's really vocal with the rest of the defense."
When the Quakers' season starts Saturday at Drexel, Murray will have the chance to prove that his coach made the right decision. With a strong start, the goalie can seize the position for good, no apologies necessary.
