It’s not easy to follow in anyone’s footsteps.
Matt Shaffer (Natick, Mass.) knows that better than most, after spending his first four seasons at the University of Vermont as a backup goaltender behind the likes of Nick Washuta and Ryan Cornell (Darien, Conn.). He had played a total of 66 minutes and 59 seconds of college lacrosse over 12 games when this season began.
With Washuta making stops in the Premier Lacrosse League for the Archers and Cornell graduated, a familiar battle for playing time loomed. However, after some intense intrasquad competition, Shaffer — the former Tabor Academy netminder — emerged as Vermont’s starter.
“Nick was a guy that stayed big in the cage,” said Vermont head coach Chris Feifs. “He trusted his hand speed and he didn’t have any unnecessary movements that took him out of position. So we felt like — with him being a shot-stopper — that we had a great starting point.
