With a racing heart, a stomach in knots, and pure silence around her, freshman Grayce Moran stepped up to the soccer ball, a wall of four opposing players between her and the goal.  A penalty gave her the opportunity to take a minimally contested shot at the goal. Moran stepped back a few feet, took in a gulp of air, and kicked the ball.

The ball sailed over the opposing team’s wall and into the goal, leaving the goalie in the dust. With that kick, Moran scored her first goal of the season.

Moran has been playing soccer for eight years.  Though she also has been participating in horseback riding for six years, her focus is on soccer.

“I definitely take out my aggression when playing soccer.  It’s my main sport.  I spend all of my time playing soccer,” Moran
said.

After tryouts, Moran made the JV team.  “It was nerve-racking but fun,” Moran said.  Towards the end of the season, she was moved up to varsity.

“I expected [the varsity girls] to be mean, but they weren’t.  They were more encouraging because they knew I was new to [the team],” Moran said.  Moran also anticipated that her new coach would scream and pick on her.  “[Coach Gary Lynch] was really nice an understood that I was new to that sort of thing,” Moran said.

Moran was nominated for the Athlete Spotlight by freshman Emily Meyerl.

“[Moran] works hard [and] stays after when asked.  She goes to every single practice and does everything that is asked of her. She is an amazing player and is always willing and wants to play. She is also an amazing friend and teammate,” Meyerl said.

Elise Adamson is a News Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.