Only one defender has ever won the Tewaaraton Trophy.

Leading the team in draw controls, caused turnovers and ground balls, Becca Block has the stats to win the Tewaaraton award, but assistant coach Regy Thorpe still expects more.

“Becca’s well deserving of being up for it,” Thorpe said. “She’s having a great senior year, but we need more out of her, I don’t think she’s playing her best game yet.”

Without Janelle Stegeland and Jill Cammett to guide the defense, Block is now the leader of the young team.

After working under Stegeland and Cammett her junior year, Block is still adjusting to leading the defense. Unlike Block, Stegeland and Cammett were vocal leaders on the team. Block is more of a show-and-do kind of player who executes on the field, rather than instructs. This is a part of her leadership Thorpe wants her to change.

“She’s vocal at times,” Thorpe said, “but she does it by action. She’s still learning.”

Though Thorpe commends the leader and player that Block is becoming, he needs her to dig deeper to help improve the defense’s communication.

Frustrated with early losses to top programs like Maryland and Florida, sophomore goaltender Kelsey Richardson knew SU’s communication had to improve.

The Orange’s opponents noticed and capitalized on Syracuse’s communication struggles at the start of the season.

“The first couple of games, that showed,” Richardson said. “But now I think we’re getting used to it in stepping up in those (leadership) roles.”

Richardson credits Block for stepping up in the past month. After playing five of the last six games on the road, the Orange finished the stretch with just one loss to No. 4 Northwestern.

In two games against Towson and Connecticut, the Syracuse defense shut out its opponents for an entire half. In those two games combined, Block notched nine ground balls, eight caused turnovers and six draw controls. Each time, Block led the team’s defense to victory.

“Her stick skills have gone through the roof,” Thorpe said. “She picks up ground balls through traffic and she can anticipate a play before it develops.”

Block’s tenacious defending has kept SU in games. Whenever team members were down or needed a momentum swing, Block was there to give them an edge. But that doesn’t mean she’ll win the award.

“I don’t think I can win it,” Block said. “It’s hard to win when you are a defensive player because it’s more of an offensive award.”

Still, Thorpe believes if Block elevates her game a little more, there is no reason she can’t claim the honor.

Said Thorpe: “She has a lot more to give to our team as we look to her to help us make a mid-season run.”

Published on April 10, 2013 at 1:00 am

Contact Melissa: qsbronso@syr.edu