When senior midfielder Shannon Taylor gets an early morning knock at her door, she knows good things are on the way.

On many occasions, it’s senior back Heather Doran with a dish of freshly baked blueberry muffins, or a plate full of home-cooked eggs.

‘Yeah sometimes she’ll get up early and cook when I’m not awake yet,’ Taylor said. ‘She’ll bring stuff that she makes – she’s always just looking after everyone.’

Actions like that have earned Doran the nickname ‘team mom,’ a role that has the senior aiding the No. 2 Syracuse field hockey team on and off the field throughout the team’s best start in school history. The Orange (12-0) will look to continue its winning ways this weekend when it travels to Georgetown for a 6 p.m. start Friday before returning to J.S. Coyne Stadium to take on No. 20 American at 2 p.m. Sunday.

‘Well, I’m always just trying to cheer people up if they’re having a tough day,’ Doran said. ‘I’m always rooting for them, trying to get them back into it, and then off the field, you know, if someone’s struggling with school or something, I always try and be there – I’m just always trying to be there for my teammates.’

Arriving in Syracuse for the first time from her native Amsterdam, freshman back Anne-Sophie Van der Post found herself alone, having to adjust to a different culture and style of field hockey. Almost immediately, Van der Post found guidance from Doran, a relationship that has helped ease the process for her.

‘It meant a lot because I’m here all by myself,’ Van der Post said. ‘I wasn’t that comfortable yet with how I played, and I was a little insecure, but she really helped me especially because she was nice to me.’

Doran was officially christened the Orange’s ‘team mom’ a few weeks ago, when the freshman players presented the upperclassmen with their rendition of ‘the freshmen song’ – a tune put together praising the qualities of their fellow upperclassmen.

Overwhelmingly, the consensus was that Doran’s maternal instincts would be the subject of her portion of the song.

‘She believes,’ said Syracuse head coach Ange Bradley. ‘And that’s just kind of a reassuring nurturing thing like a mom you know, she does a lot for the team off the field. Especially the freshman, they look up to her quite a bit.’

Being the cheerful voice for her teammates was not always easy for Doran, though. As a highly touted prospect from field hockey powerhouse Marathon Central High School (N.Y.), Doran struggled with the Orange through two mediocre seasons in 2005 and 2006.

‘Of course it’s disappointing when you don’t get the results you planned for,’ Doran said. ‘I came from a high school where we were very good.’

But with the arrival of Bradley, Doran became more assertive and outgoing as she grew into her role.

‘A year and a half ago, she didn’t have much belief or confidence in herself – she was unsure,’ Bradley said. ‘But now it’s like she’s walking taller, and that’s really exciting to see.’

Doran has helped SU on the field, too. During a scoreless first half against then-No. 1 Maryland, the Orange was being battered by the Terrapins attack while doing everything in its power to keep the score at 0-0. But a missed mark left a Maryland player staring down an empty net with Syracuse Goalie Heather Hess out of position.

After the shot was fired, Doran charged in front of the goal, knocking the ball out of the circle and preventing a rebound score for Maryland. The Orange went on to win 2-1 on the strength of Doran’s clearance.

‘That save was huge,’ Bradley said. ‘(Heather) came back and just kept it out of there. It was going across the line and she just saved it. (It’s that maternal instinct), got to save that baby, don’t let it drop!’

Doran hopes that what she adds to the team will keep propelling the Orange throughout the season.

Although, she may be in for some trouble in the near future with Bradley. When asked if Doran had baked the coach any of her famous goods, the coach looked surprised, raising her arms.

‘No!’ Bradley said. ‘That’s a good point, she better (cook for me). I didn’t know that, I’m going to have to get on her about that – I’d like a muffin.’

ctorr@syr.edu

Published on October 8, 2008 at 12:00 pm