In the summer before Kayla Treanor’s sophomore year of high school, her travel team, The Albany Elite, stared down the second half of a game without a goalie.

Without someone in the crease, Treanor responded at the draw circle. She won eight straight draw controls to start the second half and proceeded to score a goal off each ensuing possession.

“She helps all of us no matter what and it’s team first,” sophomore Riley Donahue said. “… But she’s just so skilled, it’s dangerous. She’s a matchup nightmare.”

Now in her senior season at Syracuse, Treanor has once again been faced with filling a team’s needs, and again, it’ll be in the draw circle. Kailah Kempney took the draw for two seasons but graduated last May, leaving an opening for head coach Gary Gait to fill with none other than the two-time Tewaaraton Award finalist and first-team All American.

In the first game of last Sunday’s doubleheader sweep for No. 3 Syracuse (2-0), Treanor won 19 draw controls. The total is the single-game school record and fifth-highest in NCAA Division I history. This weekend, she can add to the history she made against Wagner (0-1) at 12 p.m. and Marist (1-0) at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the Carrier Dome.

“I’m just looking forward to helping any role I can, and I think we’re just getting started,” Treanor said.

Last season, Treanor took a few draws in games, winning the third most on the team with 22. Having Kempney, who won a team-high 186 draw controls, SU didn’t need to move Treanor into the draw circle and break up the rhythm of what finished as a 60-goal season for her.

After Kempney graduated, Gait opened up competition in practice to find a replacement. Treanor won the position after proving she could use the skills that make her so effective on the attack to be just as successful on the draw, her hands.

With quick hands that allow her to fire shots at opposing goalies, Treanor is able to create on the draw by putting the ball in multiple positions, all away from opponents. Against Loyola on Sunday, Treanor was able to go backward, forward and behind her with the draw, Gait said.

“If you’re winning the ball, you have the chance to start some fast breaks and that’s the most important thing is getting the ball,” Gait said. “We went with our best draw player and right now that’s Kayla.”

With the premier scoring option taking the draw, the offense will look slightly different this season than in years past. Though Treanor still scored four of SU’s 17 goals against Loyola, Halle Majorana and other members of the attack will need to fill in down low to replace her scoring output.

But now, Treanor can showcase her passing ability and take the next step as a player at Syracuse. Gait said that taking the draw will showcase the depth of Treanor’s talent and that she is more than a goal-scorer.

While Treanor says it’s just about filling a role, by doing just that, she has the opportunity to cement her legacy at Syracuse.

“She’s poised to be the best we’ve ever had here, and we’ve had some pretty great players,” Gait said. “… It’s special when you get someone like that.”

Published on February 17, 2016 at 9:56 pm

Contact Liam: lpsull01@syr.edu