Syracuse sophomore attack Kayla Treanor is arguably the best women’s lacrosse player in the country, armed with a shooting arsenal that can give opposing goalies nightmares.

Bullets from the top of the circle. Bouncers in front of the cage. Precision lasers on free-position attempts.

And she can seemingly pull any one of them out when the moment is right.

“She’s somebody that just has the stick work, the skill level to be on the attack side,” SU head coach Gary Gait said. “It’s hard enough just getting up and down the field, and we know she can do so much more. She can just focus on putting the ball in the net.”

After 16 games, Treanor has helped put the No. 1 Orange (15-1, 5-1 Atlantic Coast) in position to make school history. No Syracuse women’s athletic program has ever won a national championship. Lacrosse and field hockey have both come close, making a combined three final fours since the spring of 2012. Each time, though, the season ended in heartbreak.

But with Treanor in the middle of a scorching-hot sophomore campaign, SU may finally have the missing piece to its championship puzzle. Her 58 goals this season rank third nationally, and her offensive prowess has carried the team to its first-ever perch atop the national polls during regular season play.

With the ACC and NCAA tournaments quickly approaching, the former Niskayuna (N.Y.) High School standout has no plans to slow down.

“It’s all about enjoying the process and enjoying the journey,” Treanor said. “(Winning a championship) would be great if that happened, but just focusing on one game at a time is where we need to be focused.”

Treanor has carried that same approach over from a freshman season that placed her among the nation’s elite. Her 71 goals were only four shy of the Orange single-season record held by Christina Dove and the most ever for a first-year player.

It was one of the best maiden seasons that Gait could remember.

“Probably the last freshmen that really had to step up were Katie Rowan, Halley Quillinan and Christina (Dove),” Gait said. “They became incredible impact players, but so far Kayla’s done the most and is taking advantage of it.”

Still, Treanor knew she had more to give. So during the offseason, she made it an emphasis to improve her conditioning and shooting percentage, especially within the 8-meter arc. So far, she has accomplished that goal with a 50-percent conversion rate on shot attempts in 2014.

Treanor considers herself fortunate to play for one of the premier teams in the country. She attributes much of her success to the Orange coaching staff, which has molded a number of star goal-scorers.

One of those is current Florida Gators assistant coach Michelle Tumolo, who helped Treanor explode onto the national scene last season. Then a raw freshman, Treanor said she learned how to play without fear and leave nothing on the field through Tumolo’s guidance.

Another is Rowan, a Syracuse assistant coach, and the most prolific scorer in program history and previous owner of the No. 21 now emblazoned on Treanor’s jersey.

Rowan also coached Treanor in the high school Empire State Games.

“Seeing her here and how she’s probably the top player in the country is outstanding,” Rowan said. “She gives credit where it’s due, but she probably doesn’t give herself much credit. She should get a ton of it.”

Not only for her personal success, but also for Syracuse’s near flawless run through a brutal season schedule. After surviving 10 games against ranked teams, Gait actually called it the Orange’s “toughest ever.”

After knocking off nine of those opponents, including No. 1 North Carolina earlier this month, SU has emerged as a championship favorite. It hasn’t lost since early March, and the entire team is starting to feel like this could be the year a women’s squad can bring home the hardware.

“I think it would gain a new level of respect for all the women in Syracuse sports,” senior midfielder Bridget Daley said. “Every athlete, male or female, puts in so much work. It would just be incredible.”

That remains the only motivation that Treanor needs. The razzle-dazzle goals and ankle-breaking spin moves will probably make her an All-American and a Tewaaraton finalist, but hard work and extra sweat could pave the way for another postseason run.

So, like she has done throughout her playing career, Treanor will only worry about what she can control. Then, just maybe, the Orange will finally be in control at season’s end.

“What we all really want is to win a national championship, so I guess you can’t really be happy until you get to that point,” Treanor said. “None of those little things matter. Winning national championships … really, that’s the only thing that matters.”

Published on April 23, 2014 at 1:30 am

Contact Tyler: tfpiccot@syr.edu