The Syracuse women’s lacrosse team scored 11 and 19 goals in its first two games, respectively, and standout midfielder Gaddy Fortune accounted for only one.

One goal from someone who led the Orange with 47 last year, scored in all 16 of her team’s games and is a preseason candidate for the Tewaaraton Award, presented to the nation’s best player at the end of the year.

Though Fortune has been quiet, Syracuse has not fared any trouble scoring yet. But its next opponent, No. 6 Virginia, allowed only seven goals in its first two games. When the No. 15 Orange (1-1) take on the Cavaliers at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the Carrier Dome, it will be Fortune’s third opportunity in a new role that may limit her scoring chances, but one that head coach Lisa Miller says will help the team’s offense.

Fortune spent most of last season as an offensive midfielder, generating scoring chances going one-on-one off the corner of the field. Miller envisions a vastly different responsibility for Fortune this season.

‘We’re trying to overlap her more on the defensive end of the ball and generate transition opportunities,’ Miller said. ‘Just getting down the field, that’s what her biggest strength is.’

This year, Fortune backed into the defensive side to create possessions and move the ball to other scorers. Highly touted freshmen Christina Dove and Halley Quillinan combined for 12 goals in the Orange’s first two games.

Because of the rookie duo’s success, Fortune is able use her biggest asset – speed – to bring the ball to the offensive end quickly and rely on others to score the goals. Last year, Syracuse relied on Fortune and preseason All-American Katie Rowan to score 93 goals, but Miller said she trusts seven players to score this season.

‘Coach always talks about my athleticism, and I think I can help the defense with my speed,’ Fortune said. ‘I’m trying hard to get down and be more part of the unit instead of individuals running around.’

Opposing teams have not yet caught on to Fortune’s new position. In Syracuse’s 19-6 win over Albany Wednesday, the Great Danes spent much of the game face-guarding Fortune and Rowan, trying to prevent the two from catching the ball.

The result: a career-high four goals for Dove and senior Jill DePetris and a hat trick by Quillinan. Fortune only scored one in limited minutes because of the score. Syracuse’s opponents can no longer focus on just two players, spreading out the defense among a group of potential scorers.

‘It’s much more fun this year,’ Fortune said. ‘Last year it was our (Fortune and Rowan) role on the team to score the goals. We don’t know at the beginning of the game who’s going to score.’

Virginia outscored in-state rivals Virginia Tech and No. 12 Richmond by a combined score of 28-7. The Orange, however, boasts one of the best offenses in the country, and expects to use its team speed to create transition goals like it did against Albany.

The Orange calls Saturday’s game an ‘opportunity game’ – an opportunity to cement itself as a national power and move up in the rankings. Despite Fortune’s switch to the defensive side, she is still an offensive player first and is expected to score goals. Miller said she was pleased with her star’s progress and was especially impressed with her versatility and willingness to try something new her senior season.

‘We’ll cycle Gaddy up as time goes on and we get the rhythm down,’ Miller said. ‘She’ll definitely get more points as the season goes on.’

Although Fortune said she has embraced her new job as a distributor, she acknowledged she wants the ball in her stick in big moments. Dove and Quillinan have been successful early in their careers, but they lack Fortune’s experience against top opponents.

‘Our freshmen have been huge for us – they are really tough and don’t back down,’ DePetris said. ‘But Gaddy and Katie are very comfortable playing against a team like Virignia. They know what it’s like to play against a top-10 team.’

Published on March 1, 2007 at 12:00 pm