All roads come to an end at some point and like Athens’ brick streets, there are plenty of bumps along the way.
For the Ohio women’s soccer team’s four seniors, career ends are in sight for goalkeeper Mattie Liston, midfielder Maggie Murnane, defenseman Natalie Bechtel and forward Alec Stec.
Liston has supplanted herself as one of the best players in program history, as she is the all-time leader in saves and shutouts, as well as fifth all-time in Mid-American Conference history with 394 saves. She has played 72 career games for the Bobcats.
Murnane is the only senior that did not start her career at Ohio, as she began her collegiate soccer journey at Dayton before transferring to Ohio for her junior and senior seasons. She has brought a calming influence in the midfield, but also an aerial threat in the box.
Bechtel has been a consistent performer at the back playing 57 games throughout her four years as a Bobcat and she has provided solid play on defense, while adding five assists and 19 shots offensively throughout her career.
Stec has been forced to endure a variety of injuries throughout her career, which has limited her chances to see game action. She has taken on a different role with the Bobcats, as she has been a great mother figure and great leader. All of these seniors have had to go through a difficult transition with coach Aaron Rodgers taking the helm for her final season, but they have been leaders for the change.
“I always think it’s a difficult process to come in, especially when you’re a senior and having played for another coach for three years then having a new coach your last year,” Rodgers said. “They have been great leaders to help with the transition in the process. I appreciate their attentiveness and their willingness to change.”
The Bobcats are a family that is together year round, so the seniors will undoubtedly have some separation problems from their family of four years.
“When you get to play with people every single day and you travel together and things like that you make great friends,” Liston said. “That’s easily what I’m going to miss the most. The team is one of the most important things in my life. I will miss that a lot”
As the season and their collegiate soccer careers wind down they still have goals that they want to accomplish at Ohio.
“I want us to get high into the tournament and win it,” Murnane said. “We’re really capable after tying (Western Michigan), who’s supposed to be first in our conference right now. I’m not scared of them whatsoever.”
Leaving something that you love and that has been such a big part of your life can be tough, but with the end in sight it has provided added motivation for the seniors.
The hardest part will be leaving the field for the final time.
“I don’t know if I’m going to get off that field. It’s going to be hard,” Murnane said. “I’ll probably be all choked honestly. If I get off the field knowing I did the best I can or if I get off the field winning a MAC championship I feel like it’s going to be different emotions, but it’s going to be interesting and tough.”
ak840511@ohiou.edu
@KovarAndrew
