Jordan Page was confronted with a difficult decision. She could join the U.S. under-21 team for the Junior Pan American Championship in Guadalajara, Mexico, in September, but she would also miss two and a half weeks of class in Syracuse.

Page ultimately opted to stay in Syracuse while the U.S. team earned bronze in the tournament. She would’ve loved to represent her country, but she said she has no regrets.

“It was definitely weird reading the tweets on Twitter and following them and not being there,” Page said. “But I had to make the choice to stay here to uphold my academic commitment. So it was hard, but it was the right decision to me.”

No. 3 Syracuse (15-1) has a handful of players who have competed for the U.S. U-19 team, but only Page has been named to America’s U-21 team. The midfielder earned the honor in late July after an extensive two-week tryout in which she competed against 100 other players.

An email from the U.S. coaching staff greeted Page with the news that she had been selected. SU teammate Kelsey Millman immediately sent a congratulatory text message to Page, who had always dreamed of making the U-21 team.

Orange back Iona Holloway — who has played for Scotland’s U-16 and U-18 teams — wasn’t caught off guard by the news of Page’s accomplishment.

“I’m not surprised at all because Jordan is one of the hardest-working girls on our team and she also studies the game and she knows the game,” Holloway said.

Page said her spot on the U-21 team isn’t just a personal achievement. It’s also an honor for the Syracuse program as she benefits from playing against some of the country’s best players every day.

In the preseason, Page left the Orange for a week to join the national team in Maryland for a series of games against Maryland, Penn State and Virginia in preparation for the Junior World Cup.

By September, it was time for her to decide whether or not to play in the Junior Pan American Championship.

Head coach Ange Bradley said she and the players were supportive of Page’s choice, regardless of what it was. Millman thinks her teammate made a “very mature and adult decision” by prioritizing her education.

Page said she will most likely be with the U-21 team after this season, but the plans have yet to be determined as the U.S. coaching situation is uncertain. She doesn’t expect a tournament next year to interfere with Syracuse’s season again.

The Junior Pan American Championship wouldn’t have been her first time donning a jersey of stars and stripes. She was a member of the U.S. U-17 team, and in April she competed in the USA-Canada Challenge in Vancouver, Canada, with the U-19 national team.

The U.S. U-19 team lost all four of its games to Canada’s U-21 team, but the losing didn’t spoil Page’s experience.

“It’s always great to represent your country,” she said. “You go out there every day and you fight for your country and it’s just awesome.”

Page and her teammates said she is a much better player because of her international experiences. Millman said Page’s ball speed coming out of high school was higher than that of most incoming freshmen. Holloway praised the midfielder’s aerial passing ability — Page’s signature move — and “ball-stopping” on offensive penalty corners.

Bradley pointed out that Page’s game gained flexibility, as she plays midfield for the Orange, but saw time at forward for the U.S. team.

Thanks in part to her time in a U.S. jersey, Page’s progression as a player and experience against tough competition have made her a crucial part of the Orange’s success.

“I think when you get to that level of hockey, mental component comes into it, skill component comes into it and it’s all just at that level where the speed is faster,” Holloway said. “Your opponents are better and it can only make you better. And I think Jordan’s an example of that.”

Published on October 23, 2012 at 1:28 am

Contact Phil: pmdabbra@syr.edu | @PhilDAbb