Goldstock carries on Syracuse tradition
Goalie wears No. 21, following path blazed by other local standouts
It has become a Capital Region tradition for Syracuse women’s lacrosse stars to wear the No. 21.
Former Bethlehem Central standout Katie Rowan wore the number during her stellar career, and then gave her blessing for Niskayuna’s Kayla Treanor to have it.
Now those digits are on the jersey of Syracuse graduate goalkeeper Asa Goldstock, also from Niskayuna, who leads the third-ranked Orange (8-1) to play the University at Albany (8-4) at 3 p.m. Tuesday on John Fallon Field.
“I wear it because Kayla Treanor wore it and Kayla Treanor wore it because Katie Rowan wore it,” Goldstock said. “It’s pretty awesome wearing that number.”
It will be Goldstock’s first game back in the Capital Region as a college player. She did play on Ualbany’s campus in high school and at lacrosse camps.
“Yeah, it’s exciting,” she said. “We’ve played Albany every year since I’ve been at Syracuse and it’s always been in the (Carrier) Dome. Being able to go back to Albany and play against a great Albany team and Katie Rowan will be awesome, and I’m excited.”
Rowan, now the Ualbany head coach, will be on the opposite sideline on Tuesday. Treanor, whom Goldstock considers to be a sister, is an associate head coach at Boston College, a Syracuse rival in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
“It’s such a joy,” Treanor said. “I had such a wonderful experience myself at Syracuse and got to play for the same coaches and the culture’s the same. I’m just so happy for (Goldstock) that she gets to be part of such a special program and be part of such a special team and culture and for those coaches. I think it’s a really unique experience, and I’m really proud of her and happy that she gets to also have that same experience that I did.”
Rowan and Treanor were prolific scorers who rank No. 1 and 2 on Syracuse’s all-time list with 396 and 393 points, respectively.
Goldstock has made her mark in goal, named to the preseason watch list for the Tewaaraton Award, given to the top player in college lacrosse. She has a 10.03 goals-against average and a .468 save percentage for the Orange.
“I just want my team to do well,” she said. “I like to lead my team with a lot of emotion and what I bring to my team, you can’t always see it in stats and awards. In that sense, I think I was kind of written off in that way when I was younger and stopped caring about those personal accolades.”
Like Rowan and Treanor, Gold
stock is playing for Syracuse head coach Gary Gait, an Orange lacrosse legend and, along with his twin brother, Paul, among the best players in the sport’s history.
“I think she’s playing great,” Gary Gait said of Goldstock. “She’s a great leader for us and I’m hoping she finishes real strong and I’m sure she will and give us a chance. She’s our heart and soul back on the D -end and we need her to play well.”
Goldstock has kept a close relationship with Treanor and her sister, Alyssa, now an assistant coach at Union. Goldstock said they helped her get through a “tough time” as a child.
When Goldstock later transferred from Niskayuna to New Hampton School, she stayed with the Treanors when she came home for the holidays.
“Her family really kind of took me in when I was a kid,” said Goldstock, also a cousin of former Niskayuna and North Carolina star Luke Goldstock. “I’ve lived with them since my childhood. I do refer to her and Alyssa as my sisters.”
They also helped Goldstock become a goalkeeper.
“Kayla and Alyssa would shoot on me when I was younger,” Goldstock said. “I was in the goal always so it stuck with me.”