A hard pass came bouncing over the turf and headed out of bounds before Liz Sack went airborne and dove head first with her stick extended to reach it. Instead of finding the boundary line, the ball deflected off of the junior forward’s stick and into the net.

She fell to the ground, looked up and burst to her feet to celebrate the goal with her teammates that put Syracuse ahead 3-0 over Monmouth. She bounded across the field to hug Alyssa Manley with her arms above her head and a smile painted across her face.

“It’s always fun to see anyone score and Liz’s celebrations are pretty darn good,” said head coach Ange Bradley. “…We’ve been focusing on (diving goals) quite a bit the last week, so to see her take that from practice and make it happen in a game is really exciting.”

It’s a moment Sack never had the chance to celebrate last season from the right-back position where she started all but two games. But after switching back to forward this season, she’s contributed for the Orange off the bench. She’ll continue to give No. 1 Syracuse (11-0, 3-0 Atlantic Coast) scoring depth when it visits No. 11 Louisville (7-4, 0-4 Atlantic Coast) Friday at 6 p.m.

“Yeah, I started last year, but I don’t mind coming off the bench because this is what allows me to be most effective and help the team,” Sack said. “If I’m not starting, I’m going to make the most of it.”

Bradley asked Sack, who’s traditionally a forward, to fill a void at back last season. She stepped into an unfamiliar position and helped anchor a defense that allowed 1.67 goals per game.

This season, sophomore Lies Lagerweij and newcomers Roos Weers and Zoe Wilson have shut down SU’s opponents by allowing .82 goals per game. The improved defense allowed Sack to move back to forward, but she found herself behind the team’s offensive leaders Emma Russell and Emma Lamison on the depth chart.

“She’s really flexible with her movement and she’s really aggressive when we put her in the forward line,” Russell said. “She’s always closing in on backs really quickly, which I think she learned from being a back last year.”

There hasn’t been much transition for Sack as she moves back into the role of a forward. Instead the focus has been on making up for lost time and learning from those in front of her.

Russell praised Sack’s listening and said she’s “coachable.” Sack picks the brain of the veteran forwards and makes sure to intently watch from the sideline to maximize her effectiveness upon entering.

“She’s a smart player,” Russell said. “It’s really big for us to have someone who can play both forward and back. There’s no drop … when (Sack) comes in.”

In preparation of entering the game last Friday against Monmouth, Sack jogged in place and moved more than the other girls on the sideline as play began. With eight minutes gone in the first half, Sack paced over to assistant coach Tara Zollinger, who gestured to the opposing goal with an outstretched arm.

Sack said that the players go to Zollinger with a lot of questions about forward movement and attack. The junior forward created a penalty corner upon entering the game a little after the 10-minute mark.

It’s the little things Sack has grown accustomed to doing while not at the forefront of the attack. Still, it’s a niche even she thinks gives her an upper hand at times.

“My legs are always fresh, especially after playing all the time last year,” Sack said. “I feel like I have the advantage coming in for four to seven minute spurts and attacking tired defenders.”

Published on October 7, 2015 at 8:47 pm

Contact Liam: lpsull01@syr.edu