Bart Bodt remembers the conversations he had with his daughter over the past two years. He remembers her frustration. He remembers her being uncomfortable as one of Syracuse’s less important players.

Entering Erica Bodt’s junior season, though, the SU coaching staff made a point of telling her it was looking for more offensive production from the starting midfielder.

“(The coaches) trust us that we’re going to be able to take on that leadership role and have confidence in us,” Bodt said, “which really helps.”

This season, the conversations with her dad about frustration have ended.

Orange head coach Gary Gait said one of Bodt’s strengths is her ability to contribute on offense, defense and in transition. But recently, Bodt’s increased production — she’s scored six goals in the last three games after previously averaging just one per game — has helped lift the offense.

And in the third game since the indefinite suspension of midfielder Kelly Cross, Bodt’s role will continue to increase when No. 6 SU (9-4, 2-2 Atlantic Coast) takes on No. 13 Notre Dame (7-5, 2-3).

“(She’s) just a solid player for us,” Gait said. “I’m just trying to find days where she can have more three-goal games, rather than one goal.”

In her first two years, Bodt scored 11 and 12 goals, respectively. So far through just 13 games, Bodt’s already scored 15.

Throughout her career, Bart Bodt has talked to his daughter about how good of a fit Syracuse is, regardless of being on the bench.

“He’s by far the best coach we’ve ever come across in any of our lacrosse teams and club level, high school level, college level,” Bart Bodt said of Gait. “He’s just a phenomenal person for her in terms of her development.”

Bodt attributes her breakout to more confidence. After her coaches asked her to step up, she felt comfortable assuming the new role.

On the field, Bodt isn’t hesitating. Instead of thinking twice before dodging or shooting, she’s doing it immediately.

“You catch a pass, as it’s coming to you, you think, ‘Yeah, I’m going to catch it,’ that’s more like the confidence,” fellow first-line midfielder Taylor Gait said of Bodt. “Or you’re going to goal, you’re about to shoot it and you’re like, ‘I’m going to make this shot.’ As opposed to going out there and being like, ‘I don’t know if I’m going to make this.’”

The turning point for Bodt was a 14-13 win over then-No. 8 Virginia on Feb. 23. With 38 seconds remaining, she intercepted a pass to ice the game.

The play foreshadowed how she would improve over the course of the season.

“You can’t really second-guess those kinds of things,” Bodt said. “It’s either you do it or you don’t. It was kind of like I had to take the chance and do it and it worked out well.”

While Bodt can make a variety of plays, attack Halle Majorana said she’s “unstoppable” when running toward the goal.

During this past week, Bodt has worked specifically on her dodging and shooting and it paid off when she scored three goals, tying a career high, on Saturday against Virginia Tech.

Bodt has risen to the occasion this year, and her importance will continue to be paramount in Cross’ absence.

“I think she’s almost there,” Gait said. “I’m betting she’s going to peak for the second half of the season here, really step up her game.”

Published on April 6, 2015 at 10:48 pm

Contact Paul: [email protected] | @pschweds