LOWELL, Mass. -- Senior midfielder A.J. Shannon didn't get much time to let the championship soak in. Just five days after the victory, Shannon, one of the heroes of the title game thanks to his four-goal effort, was already back in uniform and playing again -- this time with the New Jersey Pride of Major League Lacrosse.
"It's been hectic and pretty tiresome," Shannon said of his week. "I don't know where my life is headed, and now my student visa is running out."
The Ontario, Canada native spent Saturday and Monday playing in the semi-final and final games of the NCAA tournament. He then participated in the MLL scouting combine mid-week and by Thursday was drafted number four overall by the Pride.
"I didn't think it would happen this fast," Shannon said. "I go the MLL combine, and the next thing you know I'm drafted. And they tell me, 'we want you at practice Friday, and we got a game Saturday.'"
Shannon flew to New Jersey for a Friday practice, meeting his teammates for the first time. The following day, May 31, was the MLL season opener and, sure enough, Shannon was in the lineup for the team's game against the Boston Cannons at Cawley Stadium in Lowell, Mass. Things had happened so fast for Shannon that his name wasn't even stitched onto the back of his jersey when he took the field the first time with his new team.
Shannon had a prime scoring chance late in the second quarter in his professional debut. He found separation from 12 yards out and whipped one of his patented left-handed sidearmed blasts, but Boston goalie Kevin O'Brien splayed out to make a sensational save.
"I had some good momentum on that shot, and the goalie made one of the best saves of the game," Shannon said. "Honestly, I was shocked. Once I let it go, I thought for sure it'd go in. And then in the fourth quarter I had a shot that went off his toe or something. I was like, 'wow, things were going so right for me five days ago.'"
Though finishing the game with just two shots and no points might not have been a storybook ending to Shannon's week, it was certainly not a disappointing week for this new champion.
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