THE DAILY COLLEGIAN
Calais strong as midfielder for Lions
By Andrew Robinson
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
lb wear the captain's armband
in soccer means to be a leader on
and off the field, to put the team
first, make sacrifices and do
what's needed to get a win.
Andres Casais has done all of
that for the Penn State men's soc
cer team this season. Against
Akron, he proved again why he
was chosen as a captain. coming
off the bench to play a central mid
field role he has never played in
his Penn State career.
"It was fun. Coach put me there,
I don't know if the game required
it or not but maybe he was trying
to put me up higher, - Casais said.
"The guys said I did really well,
they thought I was really com
posed, that's what I'm going to
take from it."
Casais has not started a game
since the 2-1 loss to Michigan on
Oct. 3, having been replaced by
Andy Parr.
Parr has played exceptionally
well, earning Big Ten defensive
player of the week honors after
the Lions tallied two wins and
Nairn's leadership growing in sophomore year
By Andrew Robinson
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
There aren't many college soc
cer teams that rely on a sopho
more to act as one of their main
leaders on the field.
Most sophomores aren't
Christine Nairn.
After being named the Big Ten
Freshman of the Year last season,
the midfielder on the Penn State
women's soccer team has become
a bigger leader on the field. But
the sophomore had some initial
reservations about having to give
orders to her older teammates
early in the year.
"Granted, we're all friends and
they take it with a grain of salt but
I just felt uneasy at the beginning
of the season," Nairn said. But
coach [Erica Walsh] said it doesn't
matter what age you or what class
you are, she said they respect me
well enough to hear what I have to
say"
Nairn said she prefers to lead by
allowed just one goal last week.
Though the benching was tough
to take, Casais didn't let it affect
the way he worked in training or
his attitude around his team
mates. During games against
Villanova and Michigan State, the
co-captain stood next to coach
Bob Warming as the two talked
about the game in front of them.
"It's a great thing about doing
some squad rotation," Warming
said. "When you're not in the start
ing lineup the whole time because
of the rotation and you get back in,
you're doubly energetic to go
prove yourself. I think that's
where he was [Wednesday]."
When he entered the game,
Casais took the place of Justin
Lee, who was cramping up. At
first, Casais said he was more in
an attacking role, but he eventual
ly settled in front of the back line.
Roughly halfway through the
second half, Casais crashed
Akron's net, putting a ball on net
that forced Zips goalkeeper Daivd
Meves to make an incredible div
ing save.
"It happened really quick and I
didn't realize until after and it was
example and her teammates natu
rally look to her because of her
position as a center midfielder.
And despite being
an underclass
man. Nairn has
two appearances
with the United
States women's
national team and
captain the U.S. in
the U-20 World
Cup this past Nairn
summer.
This year, the midfielder has
shown more maturity on the field
and currently leads the Nittany
Lions with five goals and four
assists. Senior co-captain Megan
Monroig said when Nairn brings
positive energy, it lifts the team's
play and Monroig has seen Nairn
grow as a leader from last year.
- She doesn't get in her own
head as much, when she makes a
mistake she's getting better at just
blowing it off and keep playing,"
Monroig said. "She keeps playing,
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like Woah, I did have a shot,'
Casais said. "After that the play
goes over and over in your head,
`what if that went in,' or if I just
pushed it near post. But the keep
er got big came out really well and
confident but I got a corner kick
out of it and I'm not even used to
that."
While he tried to keep his emo
tions about being benched in
check, his frustration did show.
Senior midfielder Matheus Braga,
Casais' roommate, said he could
tell the demotion was wearing on
Casais at times.
'Andres isn't the type of guy
where even though he's sad and
he's not happy with not playing.
he's not going to show it to the
team," Braga said. "He wants the
team to do well instead of him. He
puts the team in front of him all
the time."
Braga said his friend did well in
the midfield and Casais' technical
ability served him well and defen
sive midfield seems like a natural
fit.
For Casais, getting used to the
short amount of time he has to
play the ball and not being able to
keeps going at it and getting the
ball, making the runs and making
the passes and she does it well."
Last year, the Lions had seven
seniors providing the majority of
the leadership and Nairn didn't
have to take on as big a role. But
with just two seniors this year.
more players provide that leader
ship to support Monroig and jun
ior captain Emma Thomson.
Walsh has noticed a more con
sistent Nairn, and said the sopho
more is working through her frus
tration better, while not respond
ing with a bad mood. But soccer is
a team game as well, and being a
leader means helping the other
players on the field.
So far, Nairn has provided that.
"She's bringing the players
along and that's what we've been
talking to her about all the time,"
Walsh said.
"You're only going to be as good
as the player next to you and your
job is to make everybody else bet
ter"
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Kelley King/Collegian
Andres Casais (6) heads the ball during a loss to Akron on Wednesday.
see the whole field are the biggest 'l'm a centre back,' you say, 'l'm a
challenges of midfield play. soccer player.' Casais said. "
Always a competitor, Casais Being a soccer player comes first,
said he's looking at the move as a and the basics are the same for a
new challenge. The senior said defender as an attacker. If you're a
he's taking his situation day by day soccer player you can adapt and
and if his future is in the midfield, learn different positions as long as
then he will embrace it. you know how to kick a ball."
- When someone asks you what
sport you play you don't answer, To e-mail reporter: adrso79@psu.edu
Through 13 games. Nairn leads
the team with 48 total shots and
has provided a deep-lying threat
to compliment the speed of strik
ers Dani Toney. Maya Hayes and
Hayley Brock. Three of the sopho
more's five goals have come on
penalty kicks, and Nairn said she
steps up to take PKs knowing her
teammates are confident in her.
The penalty kick role also shows
Nairn's maturity. After missing a
PK against Nigeria in the quarter
finals of the U-20 World Cup and
one in the home opener against
Virginia, the sophomore shook off
any demons and buried a penalty
against then No. 4 Portland on
Sept. 12.
And she hasn't missed a PK
since.
Nairn said she didn't know she
was leading the team in scoring
and she doesn't feel added pres
sure to he the playmaker for Penn
State.
- When I'm playing a game, I
look to myself as to what I can do,
FRIDAY, OCT. 15, 2010 I 13
what's best for the team," Nairn
said. "If that's scoring and creat
ing goals, great but if it's a com
pletely different aspect, like con
necting passes and keeping us all
together, I'm glad to do that too."
It's never a goal to score in
every game. Instead Nairn said
she just wants to be a part of the
total threat in the attack The mid
fielder said any one of the other
center mids is just as capable of
being a leader because of the posi
tion and as always, credited her
teammates.
Monroig said Nairn taking on
more leadership not only helps the
team now, but in the future, no
matter how much the sophomore
tries to deflect credit.
"She maybe doesn't want the
whole leadership role, but she
does great at it," Monroig said.
"Everybody can look up to her and
we know she's going to be there to
help us out."
To e-mail reporter: adrso79@psu.edu
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