This week I sat down with men's lacrosse goalie Bernie Susskind '13 to discuss the team's season, his performance and the Big Green's upcoming Ivy games. Dartmouth (2-8, 0-4 Ivy) has dropped eight in a row after winning its first two games of the season, including a 21-6 loss to Princeton University on Saturday. The Big Green has four games remaining on the season and next plays on Saturday against the University of Pennsylvania at Sculley-Fahey Field.
The team won its first two games and has struggled since. What do you think led to this?
BS: I think we're a very solid team with a lot of talent and have been playing well, but we just haven't been able to put it together and win games. We have been put in some adverse situations and have had some very close games but just couldn't come up with the wins. We have been working hard this season, but unfortunately things just haven't been going our way. We're hoping to win a big game against Penn this weekend.
What do you like most and least about being a goalie?
BS: The best thing is that you're put in high-pressure situations constantly and you have a lot of control over the final score. You're the last line of defense and you play an integral role. The success of the team depends on you, and I like that.
The worst part is probably getting hit with the ball. It comes along with the job and I don't like it, but I enjoy playing goalie so it isn't a huge deal.
You've suffered some injuries. How has that affected your lacrosse game?
BS: I was injured my freshman and sophomore years. This year, I was fortunate enough to be healthy and contribute in games. Due to the injuries, I'm considering taking a fifth year and using a medical redshirt. I would go to business school and play lacrosse. It's a good option for me to further my education and interest in business and still have an opportunity to have another year of lacrosse.
Being from Florida, how is the lacrosse in the Northeast different from lacrosse in the South?
BS: Florida is a real big football state, so you have a lot of raw athletes who pick up the game. It's a growing sport there, but it's a little less refined.
It was also nice to be able to play all year-round. In the Northeast, people play from a very young age and have a better skill set generally. You can tell where people are from a lot by the way they play. People in California, Colorado, et cetera all play differently.
What's the team's outlook for the rest of the season?
BS: We are obviously disappointed in the outcomes of our games, but we are still united as a team. Our record does not reflect the hard work that we have put into the season.
We are all still very supportive of each other and really just plan on continuing to work hard and end the season with four wins.
What's something people would be surprised to learn about you?
BS: My facial hair is all natural.
Who has the best flow on the team?
BS: Well I have found that when we come in as freshmen, we're all about the flow. It really defined our game. But now as we have gotten older, I find that a lot of us are all about the banker flow.
More recently, some seniors such as Drew Tunney '12 and Ben Rossman '12 have really let their flow go and have created this almost hybrid comb-over flow that has really been inspiring.
