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sports
Travis reaching
goals
By Jamie Rogers
On-line
Forty-Niner
Long Beach State's
Kristin Travis has had quite a start to her 49er soccer career.
The 19-year-old
freshman scored goals in each of The Beach's first three games
of the season, earning LongBeachState.com Player of the Week
honors last week.
Moreover, Travis
is now one-third of the way to tying Jennifer Reott, who finished
her 49er career with nine goals, for first on the LBSU career
goal-scoring list.
Travis, originally
from Davis, was a highly recruited athlete and chose to attend
LBSU over Santa Clara University, among others. "I knew the
coaching would be good here," Travis said.
"I also knew, from
visiting [LBSU], that if I ever got injured [Long Beach] would
be a place I would like to live."
Travis began playing
soccer as a 5-year-old when her older sister became interested
in the sport.
"I wanted to be
just like [my sister], so my mom put me on the same team,"
Travis said. Travis
quickly began to make her mark as a player when she joined
Davis High School's team as a freshman and was placed on the
varsity squad. Her impact was felt immediately ? the team
won its league and section titles her freshman and sophomore
years.
Not only were the
titles the first in school history, Travis helped Davis achieve
a No.1 national ranking during her sophomore season.
Although her move
into the college circuit has seemed to be an easy transition,
Travis said the new level of competition has been an adjustment.
"We started [two
practices a day] on Aug. 16."Travis said. "It was the hardest
thing I have ever done, physically and mentally. I was happy
with the first couple of games, but I was really nervous going
into the games. I knew college soccer would be harder."
Travis' natural
ability helped her overcome her nervousness, however, and
LBSU Head Coach Peter Reynaud said the freshman has a knack
for finding the goal.
"She is doing very
well," Reynaud said. "She is not big, but fast and shifty.
We are very pleased to have her." Reynaud is also impressed
with Travis' work ethic.
"She can run all
day," he said.
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