16 I WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 1, 2010
Speedy frontline learning to work as one
By Alex Angert
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
Like a hawk stalking its prey,
senior Dani lbney hovers around
midfield awaiting her next oppor
tunity to strike.
Next to the
crafty, experi- WOMEN'S
enced senior are SOCCER
two freshmen
Bayley Brock on
one side, Maya Hayes on the other
both full of raw potential, trying
simply to learn the college game
from under lbney's wing.
A trio of electric forwards with
separate styles of play, Toney,
Brock and Hayes are slowly work
ing toward building a chemistry
together to lead Penn State in its
quest for a 13th straight confer
ence title.
"There's a ton of respect for
each other," coach Erica Walsh
said. "They need to learn how to
work with each other. Right now, I
think it's three individuals work
ing hard and we've got to get three
individuals working hard togeth-
When watching the three play
on the field, it's easy to notice one
Defender hoping for shot at starting lineup
By Andrew Robinson
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
In the spring, Brian Forgue
looked right at home as the third
inside back on the Penn State
men's soccer
tc defense
team's aefense, -
which played five MEN'S
men at the time. SOCCER
But that was
the spring, and
this fall, the sophomore is back
where he was a year ago on the
bench, trying to just crack the line
up. But with a new coaching staff
in place and a return to a four
defender set, Fbrgue is still trying
to figure out how he can accom
plish that.
"To be quite honest I'm not
exactly sure. I'm just coming out
every day and working as hard as
I can and hoping something
cracks," Forgue said.
"I know my role as far as push
ing the starters at this point, I'm
hoping to break into the starting
lineup but right now, I've just got
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glaring similarity speed.
But though they are similar in
that aspect of the game, Walsh
said they each contribute different
strengths to the team. And with
Hayes and Brock being freshmen,
it's just a matter of combining all
those strengths.
"They are young and just trying
to get acclimated to Division I soc
cer," Toney said.
"It's a big change with the speed
of play. We have to get used to
each other and learn more about
each other's aspects of the game.
It's coming along."
Ibney, who utilizes the speed all
three possess, harnesses that
quickness with an ability to get
behind the backline and create
scoring opportunities.
On Sunday against William &
Mary, Toney raced the entire
length of the field by herself with
two defenders back and still got a
shot off. A minute later, she was at
it again as she got past the
defense only to just miss getting
the ball into the net.
The senior wasn't done yet as
she once again used both her
speed and ability to beat the
defense to get a third straight shot
to control what I can control."
Fbrgue came to Penn State last
season as a highly touted prospect
but with veterans
already in place
on the defense he
had to wait.
However, injuries
and suspensions
affected the back
line, giving
Fbrgue a chance
to play. Forgue
The defender
appeared in 11 games with four
starts, including the final three of
the year when now redshirt senior
Andy Parr went down with a ln►ee
injury. In the Nittany Lions' sea
son-ending loss to Maryland in the
NCAA Tournament, Forgue
scored his first career goal which
tied the game.
Assistant coach Isang Jacob
said the sophomore has been
doing what is expected of him
since returning to the bench.
"He's learning, the expectation
is very high and the demand is
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off in as many minutes. This time
it was a goaL
Lucky for her two freshman
teammates, Toney has a special
ability to relate to them and guide
them through learning the college
style.
"Dani Toney was Maya Hayes
and Hayley Brock when she was a
freshman," Walsh said. "It's great
that she has that insight that it's
not good enough and there is
another level for you that you need
to have higher expectations for
yourself."
Walsh added that Toney has
done a great job of setting that
standard so far early in the sea
son, as the senior added she is try
ing to be as approachable as pos
sible while encouraging the two
freshmen to ask questions.
Through three games, Toney
already has two goals while Brock
also has a goal and an assist.
Nevertheless, while the trio has
shown glimpses in their three
starts together, they realize they
have stuff to work on and Brock
knows how fortunate they are to
have a senior leader to help them
out.
"[Toney] has so much more
very high because of the new sys
tem," Jacob said. "I think
Torguey' needs to do what is
expected of him to get the job.
That's what he needs to do."
Losing minutes has been frus
trating for Fbrgue, but he said the
coaches have a vision for the team
this year and he is going to fulfil
his role to the best of his ability. In
the Lions two preseason games,
the defender tallied about four
minutes in clean-up duty against
Hartwick College and did not play
against Louisville.
Despite not getting a large
amount of minutes, Fbrgue has no
doubt he can step in and be ready
if the team needs him.
"Anyone would like to play
more, but I feel I'm very fit and
technically I'm sound," Fbrgue
said. "If my name's called, I'm
ready to go." While Fbrgue doesn't
have the role he had last spring,
his teammates haven't seen it
affecting him. Parr said Fbrgue
still works just as hard in practice
and isn't slacking off.
SPORTS
Sarah Finnegan/Collegian
Senior forward Danl Toney (28) races a defender downfield against
Virginia on Friday night
experience than me but hopefully season goes on I think we'll grow
I can keep up and keep working and learn how to play with each
with her," Brock said. "I hope to other better."
get to where she is soon by the end
of the season or anytime. As the To e-mail reporter adal47@psu.edu
"He's learning, the expectation is very high and
the demand is very high because of the new
system. I think Tbrguey' needs to do what is
expected of him to get the job."
Fbr a recruit of Fbrgue's caliber,
going from a starring role in high
school to fighting for time on the
field can be tough. To the sopho
more's credit, Jacob and Parr said
they haven't seen Fbrgue accept
being a reserve.
"The way I see him I don't think
he's accepted it yet and I think
that's a good thing," Parr said.
"He comes out everyday trying to
earn that starting spot and trying
to become that regular guy"
Parr also said Fbrgue has been
pushing the starters to stay on top
of their game. Playing behind vet
erans Andres Casais and Mark
Fbtrow, Fbrgue said he is using his
time to be observant and learn
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(sang Jacob
Men's soccer assistant coach
what he can from the pair because
they are the ones on the field.
Jacob said the coaches would
like to see Forgue continue to
work on using his left foot and
playing quicker and that when the
sophomore does that, he will be
ready for a bigger role this season.
However, should the need arise,
Forgue's teammates have faith in
him to be able to come in and con
tribute, just like he did a year ago.
"When we needed him he was
ready and that's the key thing,"
Jacob said. "If that's the role he
fits into this year, that's not a bad
role."
To e-mail reporter: adrso79@psu.edu
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