A
sa Goldstock knows the Syracuse women’s lacrosse schedule by heart.
“I know we’re supposed to play Boston College tomorrow … UMass the week after that,” Goldstock said in a Zoom conference call with local and national media Friday night.
The sting of the lost lacrosse season is still fresh in the goalie’s mind, but now she has a certain future. She’ll be back in 2021. As will her friend, teammate and Tewaaraton candidate Emily Hawryschuk. Both players announced their intent to return to Syracuse Friday afternoon.
“For me, right away, it’s like a no-brainer,” Hawryschuk said. “You go and put your heart and soul into Syracuse lacrosse for so long, and then you have it taken away. Initially, the first easy answer is, ‘Of course, one more year.’”
Goldstock and Hawryschuk became friends before committing to Syracuse, though their bond has only strengthened as teammates and captains of the Orange. They’ve provided each other emotional support through the entire process, though last week brought much-needed relief when the pair found out Syracuse would allow them to return for a final season.
Chasing a national championship is both players’ main focus.
“We committed when Alyssa Murray and Kayla Treanor were still playing at Cuse, and these big names that made you want to go there,” Goldstock said. “We wanted to follow in those footsteps. We wanted to go to a program and be like those role models we had before us.
“We did make a pact together to make this program just like it was and just love it like they did.”
Hawryschuk spoke to US Lacrosse Magazine contributor Mark Macyk about her unrelenting love for the Orange and her desire, even at a young age, to play home games in the Carrier Dome. Even before officially committing, Hawryschuk told Goldstock that they would bring a national championship to Syracuse.
So it’s not a surprise that they chose to announce their comebacks on the same day.
“We wanted to do it together,” Goldstock said.