As the Duke men’s lacrosse team enjoyed a fantastic 2008 season with an 18-2 record and an appearance in the national semifinals, local product Jason Orlando was along for the ride. Orlando, former high school Under-Armour All-American and member of the Lincoln-Sudbury class of 2007, was one of 13 defenseman on the Blue Devils roster, four of them freshmen. He appeared in six games in the spring. “It was a really good first year, a lot of time put in but definitely enjoyable,” said Orlando, a defender who also saw time as a long-stick midfielder. “It was a good experience for the first year.” With all the competition at his position, seeing the field was difficult from the start of fall ball. Orlando said his most memorable appearance came during a 21-10 win over Ohio State during the NCAA Division 1 quarterfinals. “All of a sudden I heard coach call me name, and that was really cool,” said Orlando, who played long-pole midfield against the Buckeyes, but seemed pretty confident he’d be more of a close defender in the future. “I was running in and out of the field as a long stick and it was really cool to play in a big game with a lot of people there.” Regarding future playing time, Orlando took a hopeful view in regards for the upcoming season and beyond, noting that several defenders return for the Blue Devils. “I think its just going to take some time to keep learning the system and to put in the work before I get more of an o ...
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