FEATURE
Freshman midfielders Shelby Williamson, left, Sarah Robbins, middle, and forward Whitney Berry, right, have made an immediate impact on the Kansas soccer team this season. All three players have seen significant playing time for the Jayhawks in their first 11 games.
Kansas trio finds quick success
By Joel Petterson jpetterson@kansan.com
Three freshmen haven't wasted any time making their presence felt on the soccer pitch for Kansas this year. Whitney Berry, Sarah Robbins and Shelby Williamson help make up one of the program's best recruiting classes in years and have already worked their way into the top 11 spots.
Berry and Williamson got the starting nod immediately in the team's first game against Drake and have started every game since, while Robbins also played in every game and started the last four. Williamson has played every minute in eight out of the team's 11 games.
"We knew that they had the potential to play right away," says coach Mark Francis. "It was just a matter of their proving that they could do it at this level. Obviously, they proved that."
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Fortunately for Francis, the three haven't been satisfied just earning spots on the field. They are also working their way up the team's statistic leader board. With four goals, Williamson, a midfielder, is tied for second in scoring and has also seen the third-most playing time on the squad. Berry, a forward, ranks second in assists with four and her 23 shots are third-highest on the team. Robbins, a defensive midfielder, earned her first goal this weekend against Oral Roberts University.
Francis says the talent in this recruiting class made it one of the best he's had in his 11 years at Kansas. Along with the three starters, Francis mentioned Nicole Chrisopulos and Amy Grow, who is sitting out the
season with an injury, as standout freshmen.
"They all have the athletic ability to be able to step in and play right away," he says. "I just think collectively it's a good group."
The three have taken on an even more important role, especially in the offense, because last year's co-leading scorer, senior Shannon McCabe, has been sitting out with an injury since the second game of the season.
But the newcomers' impressive start hasn't come without a steep learning curve into Division I soccer. All three say the speed and physicality in college play is difficult to adjust to.
"I expected it, but I didn't think it would be this hard," Williamson says.
But with all of their playing time, they've gotten a pretty good crash course in the new style of play.
"You just kind of get into it and evolve to it." Berry says.
Senior defender Estelle Johnson says the returning starters had their own adjustments to make to the new players after losing two starting midfielders from last year.
"Especially in the midfield, I'm so used to having Jess Bush and Missy Geha," she says. "It's been kind of hard working with that, but they're doing a good job."
Off the field, however, the three have had no trouble bonding with the rest of the team. Robbins says the team's special social chemistry has been her favorite part of the season so far.
"We're always laughing at the upperclassmen making jokes," she says. "They're really funny girls."
The three have a special bond of their own — they share a dorm room along with freshman forward Jamie White.
Together, they've certainly had an impressive start, but Francis says they can always continue to improve.
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THE WAVE OCTOBER 9,2009
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN