16 I Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010
Lady Ruggers captain taking on new role this season
Sadie Anderson (right) carries the ball against \Tg
Defender Thomson playing more aggressive on offense
By Andrew Robinson
COLLEGIAN STAR- WRITER
Emma Thomson stepped into
the shot, launching the ball into
the air where it arched downward
meant for the :
back of the net.
TT WUrvSfciV .S
However.
Virginia goalkeep- su€ CF R
er Chantel Jones
managed to get
enough of her hand on the ball to
send it over the crossbar, conced
ing a corner kick, but no goal.
Despite the save, the point had
been made Thomson, a junior
defender on the Penn State
women's soccer team, is going for
the goal this season.
“I don't think lopponentsl really
expect a right back to get up there
and shoot,'' Thomson said. "It's
ech iast season
different. liV good to actually get
over the hah wav line occasional-
Through her first Iwo seasons,
the versatile Thomson, who can
play either centre back or the out
side back position, tallied a total of
17 shots, scoring two goals. In the
first three game.' ■■■’ 2010. the jun
ior already had four shots, three
on goal, for a lean, best .750 clip
among players with multiple shots
on net.
With the Nittany Lions playing a
non-traditiona! 4-4-2 formation,
there is room on the wings for
Thomson and left back Megan
Monroig to exploit. At West
Virginia, the defender made
countless runs through the mid
field, on and off the ball, to support
the attack.
However, the junior isn't one to
SPORTS
By: Brandt Gelman
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
Watching the Penn State Lady
Ruggers practice, one player in
particular seems to be moving at
light speed.
Her name is =^===
Sadie Anderson, a WOMEN’S
junior from Ft. RUGBY
Collins, Colo. She _ ====^==i
is an All-
American, and the captain of the
two-time national champion Lady
Ruggers.
“She is literally the quickest
player I have ever seen on the
field,” senior Deven Owsiany said.
While Anderson has already
proven her skill to her teammates,
Lady Ruggers coach Pete
Steinberg said he is looking for
more from his captain this year.
“In her first year she was a
great athlete,” Steinberg said. “In
her second year she was more of a
game manager, and now we want
her to identify the opportunities
where she can impose herself.”
Anderson said she is ready to
take on that challenge.
“When I first got here, I relied
mostly on my athleticism,”
Anderson said. “I always want to
improve my game and vision so
this year I have been watching
more video to push my game far
ther."
Anderson is also more comfort
able this year because it is her
first time living at the Penn State
University Park campus.
!i Collegian
just take off on a long run up the
field on a whim she looks for a
clear line to make her runs. Lions
coach Erica Walsh said Thomson
is a “soccer player” and playing
outside back is the best way to use
the junior’s skills on the ball.
“That’s the difference between
Emma and so many players in
Division I soccer, she gets it,"
Walsh said. “She’s been watching
it growing up in England and it’s a
way of life for her, so she under
stands the game at a higher level
than a lot of other players.”
Sophomore midfielder
Christine Nairn said every time
Thomson decides to advance up
the field, something positive hap
pens.
And, no matter how bad a ball
gets played out to Thomson, Nairn
said the defender always seems to
„
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‘ f '
Sf-
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“She is the quickest
player I’ve ever
seen.”
Deven Owsiany
She originally went to Penn
State’s Altoona campus and had to
commute for practice her first two
years.
“For me I didn’t feel like I was
part of the team because it was
strictly rugby when I got up here,”
Anderson said. “I couldn’t ask
teammates to go out to lunch or
hang out after practice or games."
Owsiany said players would
allow Anderson to sleep on their
couches when she would stay
overnight, but it was not an ideal
situation. Steinberg has been
impressed with Anderson's devel
opment. and looks for her to be a
great team leader this year.
“She has become more vocal by
challenging the team to do more
than they think they can,”
Steinberg said. "She's made a real
commitment to learning the
game.”
Owsiany feels the team would
be lost without Anderson's voice
on the field.
“In rugby, communication is key
and she just helps everyone
around get better." Owsiany said.
"As flyhaif she is like the quarter
back of the team. If she's not being
vocal, everyone is like. 'You tell us
what to do.' ”
clean it up and keep possession.
Because of her position.
Thomson said she rarely practices
shooting, but that fact is hard to
believe watching the defender
play. Nairn said when Thomson
shoots, which isn't often, the other
players always watch because it's
either going in or going to force
the keeper to make a save.
And Thomson seems to have a
knack for the unexpected.
“Every practice she does some
thing where we're like, 'Where the
hell did that come from?”’ Nairn
said. “But she's very consistent,
she's probably one of our most
consistent players and we’ll need
her this entire season."
Thomson is one of the team's
co-captains along with Monroig,
and both have been key players in
the Lions' attack this season,
ZmpCo er
The Daily Collegian
Anderson’s leadership extends
beyond game situations, too.
She has made it a priority to
come r before practice, and
stay isL. after, working with
younger teammates on their
games.
senior back
“I like to come early to focus on
my skills,” Anderson said. “I work
on kicking and passing with every
one because it makes a better
team, plus I just love the team and
hanging out with everybody.”
The team’s unselfish commit
ment to helping out its younger
players might be what separates
the Lady Ruggers from other
schools, making them perennial
contenders for the national cham
pionship.
“For us it is very important that
our older players feel responsible
for the team to win after they
leave, so that means our juniors
and seniors take the freshmen
and develop them,” Steinberg
said.
Steinberg is not shy to praise
Anderson for all the hard work she
has put into the development of
the team and her game. “She is
one of the best players in the
nation," Steinberg said. “She also
has the potential to be the best
player Penn State has ever had.”
Owsiany agrees with her
coach's assessment of Anderson.
“You ask any other player in the
country and they will know who
Sadie Anderson is,” Owsiany said.
To e-mail reporter: bmgso94@psu.edu
despite playing defense. Walsh
said Thomson has embraced the
leadership role her teammates
elected her to this spring, but
w ould like to see her become more
vocal at times when the team is
struggling.
But Walsh has no doubt the
defender will become the leader
she needs to be. And if her history
of clutch goals is any indicator,
Thomson will be a factor in a dose
game sometime this season.
"When we’re down a goal and
the games on the line, I expect
Emma’s going to step up and be
somebody that’s going to create
chances for us,” Walsh said.
"She’s a winner and I think that’s
where you’re going to see her at
her best when we’re behind.”
To e-mail reporter: adrso79@psu.edu