Martina Loncarica clenched her fists and let out a roar in celebration.

The senior midfielder had just given Syracuse a 3-0 lead over Connecticut in the first half of Sunday’s Big East championship game, smacking a penalty stroke into the bottom right corner of the goal.

Turning around, she sprinted out of the shooting circle, and upon reaching the top of the arc, she flung her stick toward midfield and leapt into the arms of Amy Kee.

‘It’s just the way I react when I score. I might get in trouble sometimes for doing that, but it’s OK,’ Loncarica said jokingly.

This unhindered passion originates from Loncarica’s childhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She and fellow Argentine Stephanie Hussey bear the traditional strengths of players from their homeland: strong dribbling ability and individual flair.

But the Argentines are just two of seven international players on No. 3 Syracuse (18-3, 5-1 Big East). Five different countries are represented on SU’s roster, and players from each of those nations bring unique skill sets that stem from their cultural backgrounds.

The diverse group of players has bonded into a cohesive unit that not only won the conference tournament, but earned the No. 3 overall seed in the NCAA tournament. In Saturday’s opening-round game in College Park, Md., the Orange faces Richmond (16-6, 5-1 Atlantic-10) at 11:30 a.m.

‘Everyone has a little bit of something that they bring from their countries,’ Loncarica said Nov. 2. ‘ … I use my skills, which is typical from Argentina, to just dribble, and I’ll find the passes after.’

Over the course of the season, the senior midfielder has showcased a series of on-ball maneuvers, sometimes flicking the ball into the air and juggling past a defender.

In the opening minutes of SU’s Big East tournament semifinal victory over Villanova, Loncarica received a pass on the left side of the shooting circle roughly 15 feet from the goal. Facing away from the net, she turned her stick and popped the ball backward through her legs. The shot missed just wide left, but it was an attempt few would try.

Loncarica credits these abilities to juggling sessions and pickup games with friends growing up. Now at SU, though, she is tactful in implementing those tricks.

‘Of course, you have to have fun, but be efficient for the team,’ Loncarica said.

‘ … But yeah, if we’re controlling the game, at some points if you can do some things to enjoy what you’re doing, then why not?’

In contrast to Loncarica and Hussey, senior midfielder Liz McInerney, who is from Dublin, Ireland, excels on defense. She displays excellent vision and structure on the field, frequently filling lanes to intercept passes.

In comparison, sophomore midfielder Leonie Geyer and sophomore back Laura Hahnefeldt, or ‘the Germans,’ as Kee called them, bring a comprehensive understanding of the game and a mastery of the basics: pushing, hitting and blocking.

‘They’re smart, they’re skillful and very gifted intellectually, both of them,’ Bradley said.

Like Geyer and Hahnefeldt, junior backs Kee, from Hertford, England, and Iona Holloway, from Glasgow, Scotland, were also taught the fundamentals at an early age — something that has helped them playing out of the back, Holloway said.

After first being taught to push the ball, Holloway soon learned how to ‘drag.’ But it wasn’t until six months after she first picked up a stick that she learned to actually strike the ball, and it was another year before she played a game.

The success of that training is easy to see, especially on the defensive end.

Holloway has shut down opposing forwards all season long. She repeatedly lowers herself toward the ground, squares her stick to the turf and knocks the ball off the opponent’s stick.

On Friday against Villanova, she actually flipped a Wildcats player after taking the ball away.

Together, the seven international players have helped lead the Orange to its fourth NCAA tournament in as many years. But four victories remain between SU and its ultimate goal of becoming the national champion.

On Saturday, Syracuse can take the next step against the Spiders.

‘I’m very happy and very proud of what we’ve accomplished, and we still have one more thing to accomplish,’ Loncarica said.

sebail01@syr.edu

Published on November 9, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Stephen: sebail01@syr.edu | @Stephen_Bailey1