Men's Lacrosse

Evans works back from left knee injury after returning to 2nd-line midfield last weekend

Bryan Cereijo | Staff Photographer

Jordan Evans was hampered by injury last year and missed the first two games this season with a left knee injury. Now, he's working back into the second midfield line and to the lofty expectations head coach John Desko has for the sophomore.

At media day in January, John Desko said that this season, everyone would see the Jordan Evans Syracuse recruited out of high school.

Evans — the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2013 — fell short of expectations in his freshman season partly because of nagging injuries and at times wore a boot on his left foot as a precaution.

He was primed to be a key cog on Syracuse’s second-line midfield in 2015. But to start the season, the injury bug struck again, this time to his left knee.

“I just tweaked it that first week and it didn’t feel right,” Evans said. “It was disappointing to have this happen the week of the first game.”

After missing the Orange’s first two games of the season against Siena and Cornell, Evans returned to the field on Sunday against Army. He wore a black brace on his left knee and played on the second midfield line along with Tim Barber and Nick Weston.



His rehab allowed him to come back sooner than expected, and now Evans will look to continue progressing when No. 3 SU (3-0) takes on No. 5 Virginia (3-0) at noon on Sunday in the Carrier Dome. And after scoring only two goals and assisting on none last year, Evans took the first step to fulfilling the lofty expectations that his head coach has for him this season.

“I think seeing Jordan in the fall, he improved a lot since last spring,” midfielder Mike Messina said. “I think he really grew into his role and his shot and shot selection has gotten a lot better. I’m excited to see what he can do this year.”

After tweaking his left knee the week before the Orange opened up against the Saints, Evans took to rehab. He strengthened the muscles around his knee, doing leg extensions, squats and exercises that built up the “little muscles” that aid in knee stability.

After the season opener, Desko said Evans was week-to-week, and said the same on Feb. 17. But the head coach said on Tuesday that Evans could’ve gone against Cornell on Feb. 15 if he really had to.

Instead, Evans — who said that his personal targeted return date was this upcoming Sunday against the Cavaliers — saw the field for more than he expected against the Black Knights.

“It was definitely a surprise that I got out there as much as I did,” Evans said. “I was glad I did and it felt pretty good out there. I guess I healed a lot faster than I was expected to.”

In the first quarter, Evans deftly set up Weston for a behind-the-head shot that was saved. Though fruitless, the play was foreshadowing how the two sophomores can dazzle when Evans is healthy.

And now that he’s back, Evans is weaving his way into the normal routine of practice, he said. Desko added that the sophomore is behind the eight ball, but the progressions will come, both health- and skill-wise.

“I think every week you’re going to see him more comfortable and getting better,” Desko said. “He’s just got to get back in the flow and the pace of the game.”

It’s out of Evans’ power to prevent a third injury from happening, he said, and all that can be done is stretching and other injury-prevention techniques.

Desko said he thinks Evans can still be the player SU expected out of high school.

But for Evans, he just wants to stay out of an orange and gray jumpsuit on game days.

“My season just started,” Evans said. “I’ve just got to take it out of my mind that something like this could happen.

“Just play smart and fearless.”





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