Carrie Klotz walked off the grass of Syracuse Soccer Stadium one last time. Slowly, the senior midfielder made her way into the locker room after last night’s scoreless tie against Cornell.

‘To be honest with you, I wasn’t even thinking about this being my last game,’ Klotz said. ‘I just really tried to put it out of my mind.’

But she won’t be able to block out the memory of this season, one that left the Orangewomen last in their Big East division and with a 3-11-3 record overall. The senior’s last year will end without postseason action that seemed almost guaranteed at the season’s start.

This year Klotz started all but one game for the Orangewomen and served as a co-captain with junior Erica Mastrogiacomo. Her only point came on an assist against Robert Morris on Sept. 5.

‘It’s been really hard,’ Klotz said. ‘I never thought we’d be 3-11-3. I can’t even say it.’

Klotz appeared motivated last night. She had several second-half scoring chances, including a goal that was taken away because of an offside penalty with 36:09 remaining in regulation.

‘We’re still counting it,’ said Laurie, Klotz’s mother.

Klotz is counting on her academics for her postgraduate plans. She has a 4.0 grade-point average and plans to attend medical school after graduating this December.

‘Coming into college, I was a good student, so I was a little nervous,’ Klotz said. ‘But my school work is my top priority.’

Said Klotz’s father Larry: ‘I don’t know how she (balances soccer and school). She’s always done it.’

Now that her career has ended, Klotz said she has no regrets. Her parents said not watching Klotz’s soccer will leave a hole in their lives.

Mastrogiacomo said Klotz’s teammates will remember her efforts on the field. This season, Klotz was the only senior on a young team that regularly played four freshmen.

‘(Klotz) is an amazing person that’s looked highly upon by the coaching staff,’ Mastrogiacomo said. ‘She taught me leadership and courage. She shows a lot of heart and puts her team above everything else.’

‘She has gotten everything that she’s worked for,’ Larry said. ‘She deserves it all.’

That hard work began at Maryland. After two seasons there, she transferred to Syracuse, which was her first choice.

Because Klotz comes from nearby Cortland, the move has allowed her parents to attend all of Klotz’s home games.

‘It’s been a great switch,’ Laurie said. ‘She’s been 100 percent happy. Syracuse has great coaches and great players.’

The Maryland team that Klotz left is now 11-6. They will likely reach the postseason, while Klotz’s career is over.

Klotz was unaware of the Terps’ success.

‘They are (11-6), huh?’ Klotz said. ‘I have no regrets at all.’

Published on October 30, 2002 at 12:00 pm