It took Monica Joines only a second. The senior midfielder on the Syracuse women’s lacrosse team immediately had an analogy to describe the playing style of sophomore midfielder Jill DePetris, one of her least flashy yet most reliable teammates.

‘To me, Jill is like a little mouse,’ Joines said.

The interview room after No. 13 Syracuse’s 14-9 win over Notre Dame on Saturday erupted in laughter. SU Director of Athletics Daryl Gross was in attendance as DePetris’ face turned red with embarrassment.

‘No, that’s good!’ Joines yelled, turning toward DePetris to defend her claim. ‘You’re quick to get around, you get to the ball, you’ve got quick feet. Jill?’

DePetris wasn’t buying it even though Joines spoke with nothing but praise. The only SU player besides the three seniors – Joines, Caitlyn Dragon and Courtney Palladino – to start every game over the past two seasons, DePetris always scampers all over the field.

But she rarely gets noticed. Blame it on the stat sheet. That was never more evident than in her one-goal, one-assist performance Saturday.

‘I thought Jill had the best game I’ve seen her play since she’s been here,’ Syracuse head coach Lisa Miller said. ‘She was just so active in all areas: she played great defense, she was great in the middle of the field and great on attack. Points aren’t everything.’

While it’s true she plays everywhere as a pure midfielder, she does know a considerable amount about putting up numbers. Last season, she finished fourth on the team in goals and points. This year, she stands fifth in goals and points.

That said, DePetris’ place in the attack is more important in 2005. In SU’s set offense, she stations herself 15-20 yards directly in front of the goalie, running the Orange attack.

‘I see my role as like a point guard,’ DePetris said. ‘I start plays and see what is going on, and read the defense, read my team and read the openings. I have to be the one that controls the ball a lot and call plays.’

Therefore, DePetris doesn’t get credit for many goals that ultimately began in her stick. When she does record a point, it’s usually a result of balancing out whoever may be struggling at that time. On average, that translates into one goal per game and one assist every two games.

She did score one of the biggest goals this season for SU. In what turned out to be the game that decided second place in the Big East, DePetris scored the game-winning goal in a 13-12 win over UConn on March 26. The Huskies had scored four straight goals to suddenly close within 12-11 before DePetris gave the Orange breathing room. Since SU and UConn are currently ranked 13th and 15th, respectively, that game turned out to be a big reason why the Orange is on track to qualify for the postseason.

But to only cite DePetris’ offense, and particularly the one goal against UConn, doesn’t do justice to her unglamorous contributions in the midfield and on defense.

Her two groundballs on Saturday extended her team-leading total to 31. She is also second on the Orange in corralling draw-controls behind Palladino, who leads because she takes them. Her pure desire in those two aspects of the game, essentially loose-ball situations mostly at midfield, gives SU more possessions. Then there’s the defensive end, where she uses her quick feet to mark up opponents.

‘She’s completely selfless in that she’ll do whatever is best for the group,’ Miller said.

What’s best is nearly 60 minutes of energetic yet overlooked dirty work every game. But her teammates certainly recognize her efforts, enough so that one of them was ready on the spot with the mouse analogy. Not until Joines fully regained control of the room was she able to completely explain what the DePendable DePetris means to the Orange.

‘I think she plays far beyond her years, and on a young team that is really important,’ Joines said. ‘In terms of the year coming up, the team is in good hands (with) someone to show what lacrosse is all about.’

Published on May 1, 2005 at 12:00 pm