Things were looking a little unsure in the women's soccer game against Clemson Oct. 9. With only 17 minutes left in regulation, the Cavaliers had yet to score. Coming fresh off a double-overtime loss to North Carolina, this was bad news for Virginia. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, freshman forward Jess Rostedt snatched the ball up in the midfield, dribbled around an entire line of defenders and launched the ball -- unassisted -- into the back of the net.
This was not a one-time move for Rostedt. Throughout the season, Rostedt has scored seven goals, three of which were unassisted. This places her in a tie with senior midfielder Noelle Kesselica for the team's leading scorer.
Before the season even started, Virginia coach Steve Swanson repeatedly said fans would need to have patience this year. The team was young, and the road for the Cavaliers, at least toward the beginning, might be a little rocky. Just six games into the season, Swanson's prediction had already proven to be accurate. Virginia stood at 3-3, having dropped games to Penn State, Tennessee and Dayton.
The next weekend however, the Cavaliers underwent a drastic change and claimed victories over Lake Bonaventure and Richmond, which began a winning streak that lasted until they played No. 1 North Carolina two weeks ago.
Much of the credit for the team's turnaround can be attributed to the freshmen. Freshman Kelly Quinn is in second place behind Rostedt and Keselica for goals scored. The defense, meanwhile, features three freshmen and has posted nine shutouts throughout the season.
"I've been very pleased with them," Swanson said of the freshmen. "They've done a really good job. I think they're settling in more and more every day, and I think they've matured an awful lot over the course of the season so far."
The transition to college can be a difficult one for freshman for several reasons. First, college play is a lot tougher and faster than typical high-school or even club soccer. Additionally, freshman have to deal not only with the pressures of playing at a whole new level but also with all the other new changes that come with college, such as an increased workload and being away from home.
"There are different aspects of it," Swanson. "The speed of play is very different than what a lot of these guys are used to. The competitiveness of it is stronger -- it's more intense. For some though, the soccer's not the most difficult transition. It might be being away from home. It might be getting used to the balance between their studies and playing soccer."
One thing that might have made the transition easier for a lot of freshmen is playing on national teams. While high-school and club teams can not match the intensity of college soccer, in most cases national-team play does.
"You're playing against other countries, so the pace is just the same and maybe a little faster," Rostedt said. "That definitely prepares you for college."
Whatever the reason, at this point in the season, the freshman have clearly settled into the team and are now enjoying the challenge college play can bring.
"I love it -- it's so much fun," Quinn said. "You know that the whole team is out there to be together, and everyone is playing for each other"
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