TicketsOct. 29, 2008
At 9-6-3, the University of Cincinnati women's soccer team has tallied the most wins in a season since 2002 as well as their best league record since joining the BIG EAST in 2005 at 5-3-2. They were also ranked 15th by Soccerbuzz.com in the Great Lakes Region. A big part of that success comes from true freshman Julie Morrissey.
Morrissey came to UC from Abington, Massachusetts. Although she originally had her eyes set on Boston University, Boston College and even a couple Ivy League schools like Dartmouth and Brown, it took just one visit to Cincinnati to change her sights.
"To be completely honest, I didn't even know about this school at all. They emailed me with a really good offer and my dad said you should really go out there. So I came out here and I absolutely fell in love with the school," said Morrissey.
Perhaps the best quality she brings to this Bearcats team is that she knows how to win. In high school, she was part of a team that did not lose a match until her senior year and she also played on the Massachusetts Olympic Development Program state team for three years.
Morrissey was originally recruited by Meridy Glenn, who coached the women's soccer team at UC for 24 years. However, Michelle Salmon, who coached the Ball State women's soccer team for the past two years, took over the Bearcats this past summer.
Even though Morrissey has only played under Salmon's instruction, she has a noticed big a difference in the team.
"I remember coming to visit last year and just I think the attitude within the team was different. I think now we have more confidence, and I didn't even play last year. I can tell that the culture of the team has changed," said Morrissey.
Morrissey has been forced to play on a bum ankle since she sprained it a month before the season started. Though it does bother her, it is nothing a little bit of tape cannot fix.
"Everyone has these injuries but you suck them up for the games," said Morrissey.
She definitely knows how to play through the pain. As a mid-fielder, Morrissey is leading the team in scoring with six goals. That is a huge contribution from a freshman in a season where six of the team's eight wins have been by one goal. However, according to Morrissey, the freshman part of that equation is irrelevant on a team that does not build walls for different grades levels.
"It's a team effort," said Morrissey.
This season the Bearcats have earned their first trip to the BIG EAST tournament and have a No. 5 seed.
"We're excited. It's something that no one has really experienced in the program," said Morrissey.
If the Bearcats can make a good impression in the BIG EAST tournament, it would mark the first time since 2002 that they earned a bid into the NCAA College Cup.