Marjory Elwell has been through it all.

The Syracuse women’s soccer defender has been through the injuries. She’s been through losing. She’s been through a coaching change.

‘I think as a player, I’ve definitely grown,’ Elwell said. ‘Because especially in my class, I’ve had to overcome a lot.’

And now Elwell is finally going through a competitive season. One of only two seniors on the Orange, Elwell has seen the team transform this year from a mediocre program into a competitive member of the Big East.

‘It’s definitely been frustrating,’ Elwell said. ‘Because every year, I feel like our team has the ability to do so much more than it does, and it always just ends up being really frustrating.’

In each of the previous two seasons, the Orange had recorded only five victories. Head coach Phil Wheddon’s team has already won six games this season and has a chance to finish the season with a winning record, a feat the program has not accomplished since 2003.

Prior to coming to Syracuse, all Elwell knew was winning. She won back-to-back state championships at Moorestown High School in Moorestown, N.J., while making the all-state team three times. Graduating with a 65-14-3 career record, winning was something Elwell was accustomed to, to say the least.

But coming to SU in 2007, the outside back joined a struggling squad that had won a combined eight games in the past two seasons. Elwell started four matches her freshman year as the Orange won seven games.

It seemed like the program was on the rise. But then Elwell went through her first big change. The plug was pulled on then-coach Pat Farmer. In came Wheddon. And there was an immediate change in the atmosphere of the program. Elwell noticed how Wheddon, unlike Farmer, demanded intensity from his players in both games and practices.

‘Phil really encourages competitions at practice, so each practice is like a tryout,’ Elwell said. ‘You have to constantly be on your toes and know that there’s someone else fighting for your position all the time. I think that’s a positive thing, because no one really feels comfortable at their position.’

Although Syracuse only won five games in each of Wheddon’s first two seasons, the team showed renewed inspiration and a passion to improve. The third coach in program history knew it would take time to rebuild the roster and implement his defense-first approach.

In 2008, the Orange defense kept opponents scoreless for four consecutive contests, spanning 301:40. Elwell strongly contributed to that impressive accomplishment, starting seven games over the course of the season. She started another five games last season.

‘She’s someone,’ Wheddon said of Elwell, ‘you can turn to in every situation.’

But even though SU was improving and Elwell was contributing, she couldn’t stay healthy. The only other senior on roster, Megan Bellingham, who called Elwell ‘one of the best teammates (she’s) ever had,’ has seen her battle injuries for the better part of four years.

‘She’s definitely had ups and downs with injuries,’ Bellingham said. ‘She’s known what it’s like to come back from nothing, right after surgeries. She’s always positive and always works hard, even when things aren’t going her way.’

This season, Elwell has nursed a sprained right ankle that has helped keep her out of all but five games. But she returned Sunday against Seton Hall in a 0-0 tie, starting on senior night at SU Soccer Stadium.

Elwell wants to get back to winning. After all, this is her last chance.

‘I only have a few more weeks left of soccer in my career,’ Elwell said. ‘Ever.’

The Orange faces Marquette, which is undefeated in Big East play, on the road before heading to Tampa, Fla., to close its season out against USF in what could be the most important game of Elwell’s career.

Whether the team makes the tournament or not, Elwell has put in four years of sweat and tears into the program. She has overcome the injuries (for now). She has overcome the change. She has overcome the losing.

‘I feel really positive about this season right now,’ Elwell said. ‘I’m hoping that this year will finally be the year we make the Big East tournament. I definitely feel like we have all the components it takes to do that.’

sebail01@syr.edu

Published on October 18, 2010 at 12:00 pm

Contact Stephen: sebail01@syr.edu | @Stephen_Bailey1