Emma Lamison lifted the ball into the air and continued to juggle it with her stick above the turf. A Duke defender tripped Lamison, leading to a SU penalty corner. Following her insertion, Lamison hugged the back post and tapped in a rebound goal.

Emma Lamison is improving her play at the right time for No. 2 Syracuse (12-1, 4-1 Atlantic Coast). In her last three games, the senior forward recorded 10 points on three goals and four assists, doubling her point total on the season. She was named the ACC offensive player of the week for her performances in the team’s last two games.

Lamison led Northeastern in scoring her sophomore year with 26 points before transferring to Syracuse. But a year ago, she finished the season with 22 points and 37 shots. Only 13 games into this season, she has tallied 20 points and 33 shots. Her four assists this weekend matched her 2015 total.

“Last year, I obviously dribbled a lot and tried to get the perfect shot,” Lamison said. “This year I really focused on trying to just hit it at the top of the circle.”

But it is not just the statistics that show how Lamison is stepping up her game in her second season at Syracuse.

After not starting the season as the team’s inserter on penalty corners, Lamison earned her way to the top spot. She was more consistent with her hit speed and accuracy than the other two players battling for the position — Nijsje Venrooy and Jennifer Bleakney — head coach Ange Bradley said.

Lamison has played a key role in a SU corner attack that has scored six goals on penalty corners in the last two games.

“She’s always down the other end working on it,” Bradley said. “She’s been patient through the process and growing at a skill she needed to get better at.”

For many players, it is either their breakaway speed or dominating size that defines their style of play. For Lamison, it’s her crafty stick handling.

Against then-No. 2 Duke on Friday, Lamison showed special technical skills as she evaded Duke defenders on several occasions. Cornered by three defenders, Lamison spun around, split the defenders with a swift move from right to left and continued down the field with the ball.

Lamison also keeps good positioning in the front line. She notched two rebound goals against Duke.

“We all just have our specific position areas we gotta be in,” Lamison said. “You just hope the ball comes to you and you get it in when you get the chance.”

Lamison has three two-goal games on the year. One of them came against then-No. 11 Wake Forest on Sept. 18. Just two minutes into the game, she scooped up a bouncing ball in front of the net, possessed it, then carefully placed it in the back left corner of the net. Later on, Lamison raced to a loose ball and finished with a reverse goal to give Syracuse an early two-goal advantage.

Lamison started the season slow. She struggled to tally points. She was stuck in the back line on penalty corners.

But now she is the lead inserter for a powerful Syracuse penalty corner attack. She leads the team in points over the last three games and is emerging as a top offensive threat for the Orange as the regular season winds down.

Published on October 11, 2016 at 10:01 pm

Contact Josh: jlschafe@syr.edu | @Schafer_44