As Kelly Cross entered the latter half of her lacrosse career at Upper Dublin (Pa.) High School, she faced the tough task of choosing where to play at the college level.

But older sister Amy, then a freshman midfielder for Syracuse, made that decision really easy.

“I have always looked up to (Amy) as a role model,” Kelly said, “so it sort of made sense to just come here and follow in her footsteps.”

Now, senior Amy and sophomore Kelly are dependable contributors on the No. 1 team in the country, combining for 19 goals and 30 ground balls in 2014. They’ll look to finish their final season together just as strong, beginning when the top-ranked Orange (14-1, 5-1 Atlantic Coast) travels west to face No. 9 Notre Dame (9-6, 2-4) at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Although they are two years apart, both Amy and Kelly said they remain as close as they have ever been. But their tight bond has also sparked a competitive spirit that drives both to play their absolute best.

“We just motivate each other, without even having to say anything,” Kelly said. “There is always that sense of wanting to one-up each other, which is I guess better for both of us.”

The two siblings grew up in a very competitive atmosphere, especially when it came to lacrosse. Their mother, Dee, starred at Shippensburg State College and captained Team USA in the 1986 and 1989 World Cup tournaments. She is now an inductee in the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and the head coach of Upper Dublin.

Their older sister Ali also played throughout her childhood and at Shippensburg, while younger sister Julie currently stars for Upper Dublin and has already made a verbal commitment to Syracuse.

Amy and Kelly also played field hockey and soccer, respectively. In fact, Kelly said she grew up idolizing Mia Hamm and dreamed of playing on the pitch.

However, their constant exposure to the sport helped lacrosse win out by high school.

“They were around it so much, and they just liked it,” Dee said. “Amy would come to every practice, so she would start playing with the older girls. Then Kelly started playing even younger.

“It was pretty much a domino effect.”

Eventually, two generations of Crosses merged as both played for their mother in high school, spending two seasons as teammates. Dee said being able to coach her daughters was the most fulfilling experience of her life, and something Amy and Kelly would never trade.

Meanwhile, Ali said her sisters’ demeanor on the field was very unique. They played with an edge, but knew when to dial back and never let it spill over.

“I am very not competitive in the same way Amy and Kelly are,” Ali said with a chuckle. “We are creepily alike — all four of us, really. The only thing we fought about was clothes.”

The Orange’s 18-6 victory over Canisius on Feb. 16 was a perfect example of the sisters’ competitive, yet friendly, athletic rivalry, Amy said. When one of them made a big play, the other wanted to follow suit.

“She scored, and then I scored, and then she scored again,” Amy said. “It’s not a bad competitive, but it pushes us to work hard.”

Kelly said she’s now more motivated than ever to improve her game because it’s the final year for a great senior class. If nothing else, she said the underclassmen are working really hard because they know this is a year they can step up and help their mentors win a title that has eluded them.

That being said, having a sibling in the group makes this season much more meaningful.

“It’s going to be sad when Amy leaves,” Kelly admitted. “It’s just been a great experience that not everyone gets to have, to play with your sister not only in high school but in college.”

The sisters still have at least a handful more games together, and they’re going to savor each one. So will their mother, who tries to attend as many games as possible even though she gets extremely nervous sitting in the stands.

And while a competitive fire burns in the two middle siblings, it will never overcome the connection that lacrosse has brought to their entire family.

“It’s a huge support system, and we push each other to be better,” Amy said. “It’s just cool that we’ve created this ‘Cuse family and we all get to play for such a great team.”

Published on April 17, 2014 at 1:47 am

Contact Tyler: tfpiccot@syr.edu