Who says you need to know it all as a first-year?
If Amy Achey knows one thing, it is that since the age of five, soccer has been the sport for her.
“Soccer stuck,” Achey said. “In basketball and football, there are set plays, but in soccer it’s always unpredictable.”
After playing through grade school and high school in Schaefferstown, Pa., Achey has decided to bring her midfield and defensive talents to Eastern athletics.
The team’s first tournament games on Sept. 1 and 2 at Virginia Wesleyan versus Ohio Wesleyan and Meredith Colleges encouraged her. Though the team ended with one win and one loss, Achey did not feel defeated.
“A parent [from the opposing team] came up to me and told me, ‘you guys were the better team and should have won,'” Achey said.
Achey appreciates the unity of Eastern’s women’s soccer compared to her past teams.
“On the field it doesn’t matter who you are or what you do but there’s always a lot of encouragement,” Achey said.
Beginning college has been easy for Achey with the support of her teammates.
“We eat every meal together,” Achey said. “[One] Friday night we went into Philly for cheese-steaks.”
Women’s soccer has a strong returning roster of sophomores and juniors. Achey is one of five first-years on the team this fall.
“Some of the freshmen got in [the first games],” Achey said. “I think the team will be pretty good.”
With a 9-0-1 record in the 2006 season, the team hopes to win the PAC this year.
“We have really high standards,” Achey said. “I want to get a greater knowledge of the game and great friendships.”
You can see Achey wearing jersey number 3 in the next home game on Sept. 22 versus Marywood University.