With three minutes remaining on senior night, Syracuse senior Rachel Tilford put an exclamation point on a 4-1 Syracuse win Saturday against St. Anselm.

As Tilford dropped to the ice, the former SU softball player didn’t have her cleats kick up pieces of dirt and sod. Rather, the first year defenseman’s skates shredded up pieces of the ice at the War Memorial, as Tilford slid to block a St. Anselm shot much in the same fashion she had slid on the diamond in the preceding three years.

For Orange head coach Paul Flanagan, Tilford’s effort on the play was one of the standout moments from a lackluster weekend. One in which Tilford celebrated her senior status not only as a one-year ice hockey player, but also as a three-year letter-winner on the SU softball team.

‘No one had blocked a shot, and we had talked about playing with intensity all night,’ Flanagan said, ‘and just when we needed it, there is Rachel Tilford getting down on the ice, those are the little things that you look for. My only complaint is that I would have liked to see her go headfirst.’

Tilford’s teammates weren’t the only Syracuse athletes there to support the senior as she took her final bow in front of her home ice fans. Several of her former teammates, including Amy Kelley, Nicole Miller and Brittany Gardner from the Syracuse softball team, attended the game, yelling and screaming for the team and their former teammate.

But Saturday night wasn’t a one-time gig for the trio, as the three stars from the diamond regularly show up to hockey games at Tennity Ice Pavilion, perhaps the loudest and most energetic fans game in and game out.

Tilford and the rest of the team appreciate the support.

‘There is nothing more exciting than looking over and seeing a big sign that says ‘Tilford.’ It’s pretty cool,’ Tilford said. ‘I hope we do the same for them when it’s their season.’

SU sophomore Julie Rising feels that the team feeds off of the support of other athletes and thinks it helps create connections.

‘It’s great motivation and we love having them as fans,’ Rising, a forward, said. ‘They know Rachel and then it helps us to meet and become friends with other players on the team. It’s a great connection to the other sports at Syracuse.’

This past summer, after her eligibility for softball expired, Tilford decided to call Flanagan and ask to try out for the inaugural team. As a result of her years on the bases, the former outfielder undoubtedly served as the primary intermediary between the two squads, helping develop what has become a true team-wide friendship between the ice and the diamond.

‘Both teams were anxious to meet each other thanks to Rachel,’ Rising said, ‘It was perfect when starting a new program.’

Flanagan feels the same way as his players about the friendship between the two squads.

‘I think it’s awesome, and with a new program it’s going to take a little time to develop those relationships and friendships with other teams,’ Flanagan said, ‘but it’s great that they support one another and they should.’

Seeing that this is her fourth and final year on the hill, after the season ends, the only question remaining for Tilford pertains to how she and the rest of her teammates will reciprocate the favor at softball games this spring. Nothing is definitive, but there are plans in the work.

‘We are going to make a club,’ Tilford said. ‘We are going to wear shirts and pregame in the outfield if anyone wants to join us, we’ll barbecue and stuff. We don’t have any plans for their senior night yet, but I can promise one thing: It’s going to be crazy.’

aolivero@syr.edu

Published on February 22, 2009 at 12:00 pm