When Kayla Treanor scored with 4:26 remaining to put the finishing touches on No. 3 Syracuse’s 11-7 victory over Northwestern on Sunday, it was difficult to find anyone on the Orange sideline as excited as midfielder Brenna Rainone, who jumped and high-fived teammates as if she had won the lottery.

The scene was a perfect illustration of Treanor and Rainone’s distinct on-field demeanors. Rainone is usually the one firing up the team with raw emotion, while Treanor is content to lead through her play.

Off the field, though, these contrasting personalities can lead the two friends into trouble.

“We bicker about almost anything every day, at least,” Rainone said. “She’ll say something about food, and I’ll just get mad and say, ‘You’re so annoying.’ Then we’ll just walk in another room.”

Luckily, it’s only for a fleeting moment.

“She’s too funny to stay mad at,” Rainone added with a wry smile.

Although the roommates sometimes agree to disagree, they are on the same page when it comes to the importance of their friendship. It’s harder to find a pair on the Orange (9-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast) roster as close as Treanor and Rainone, who both said they’re more like sisters than just pals. This season, Treanor leads SU with 32 goals and 53 points, while Rainone has two goals and three ground balls, playing sparingly, but with more confidence than she did last season.

While the sophomores rarely see the field together during games, they are inseparable off it. And as SU continues to string together a memorable 2014 season, the two are glad they can share the ride together.

“She’s my best friend at school, and it’s really nice to have a person that close,” Treanor said with a chuckle. “But yeah, we have a very funny relationship.”

Like most successful relationships, strong communication is at the heart of their bond. Rainone said they often spend hours simply chatting with each other about “absolutely anything” — lacrosse usually being on the back burner.

She said politics are prime material for one of their “arguments,” which in no way are serious conflicts.

“It’s really funny when we argue, and everyone laughs at us,” Treanor said. “It’s all jokes at the end of the day.”

What isn’t funny is the admiration that Rainone has for her teammate. She considers Treanor the best player in the world and admires the way she constantly tries to improve her game.

She said she often watches Treanor in practice and wonders how she makes everything look so effortless. Then when the accolades come in, she gets just as excited, if not more, than her best friend.

“I’m one of her biggest fans,” Rainone said. “She was on the (Lacrosse Magazine) cover, and I was just so happy that I felt like I was on the cover.”

Syracuse head coach Gary Gait said that Treanor and Rainone are a perfect example of the chemistry found throughout the Orange lineup. He and his assistant coaches make it an emphasis to match personalities in addition to skill sets, a philosophy that has resulted in great success.

“With these kids, we try and get to know them, make sure they’re a good fit,” Gait said. “We do a lot of team building and we make sure that we try and build tight-knit relationships amongst the players and the staff so that we’re prepared to go to battle together.”

So far, the plan has worked in 2014 as the two have helped the Orange to a 9-1 start.

More importantly, the Orange continues to win games, which is one thing neither Treanor nor Rainone can argue with.

“I can never stay mad at her,” Rainone said. “We’re literally always together, no matter what.”

Published on March 25, 2014 at 1:35 am

Contact Tyler: tfpiccot@syr.edu