When Kristin Brady began her career as a Syracuse women's lacrosse player, she never thought she would witness the success she's been a part of this year. In the season prior to her arrival, the Orange went 9-6, without a victory over a top 20 team.
Things have changed in her four years in a Syracuse uniform. This year's senior class is already the winningest class in Syracuse women's lacrosse history.
For Brady and four other seniors, tonight will mark their last chance to perform in front of the Carrier Dome faithful during the regular season. The No. 4 Orange will host Colgate tonight at 7 p.m.
Syracuse (11-2, 4-0) is coming off an 18-6 win this past Saturday at Rutgers. In the win, junior attack Katie Rowan set the single-season points record with three goals and four assists, upping her season points total to 87. The win also improved SU's Big East record to 4-0, a record the team has never before achieved in its history.
Although Colgate (7-7) may not match the talent SU will face in the upcoming Big East and NCAA tournaments, Brady still is aware of the possibility of the upset in her final game at the Dome.
"You've got to be pumped up for every game, I mean there are so many upsets, you never know," Brady said. "You really want to go all out in your last regular season game in the Dome."
Tonight's game may not be the last chance for these seniors to play at home, with the very likely possibility of a home game during the NCAA tournament. The first two rounds of the tournament are played at the site of the top-ranked team, giving the No. 4 Orange a solid chance of hosting at least one game.
One of the biggest adjustments that had to be made by this year's senior class was dealing with the coaching change after last season. Gary Gait took over after the senior class had already played for three years under former head coach Lisa Miller.
Gait feels that those seniors have formed the core of the Orange's success, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, where Christina Gibson and Shannon Brusche will be leaving their starting positions after the season's end.
Gait also appreciates the way in which they were able to adjust to his coaching style and the goals he set forth for them and the team as a whole when he took over the team in the fall.
"They've been great because they have welcomed me with open arms and the change in the way I do things," Gait said. "When you come in as a new coach, you always worry that they may not buy into the way you coach because they have been under somebody else for the last three years. They were very welcoming and ready to try anything and everything."
The welcome attitude the older players had to Gait's coaching style is just one aspect of the success that SU has experienced this season. Gait said one of his primary goals coming into the season was to teach his players how to conduct themselves like elite-level players.
While he does not believe his team has totally reached that level, his seniors have led the total team progression the Orange has gone through.
"We have been trying to teach them what a championship caliber team does, how they act, how they are," Gait said. "They're getting there, and I think that's key."
Gibson said this season has been special for her because of what might lay ahead for SU. But that doesn't mean she's looking past her final regular season home game.
"My parents and my grandparents will be here, and I think my sisters will be here," Gibson said. "It will be a good chance for them to see a game, and it will cap it all off."
jssutton@syr.edu
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