PAGE 22 // WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2009
SPORTS
the pendulum
(3
Senior goalie sets the
pace for the Phoenix
on and off the field
DAVID WELLS | Photo Editor
Freshman midfielder CecI Jensen holds off an
N.C. State defender last Sunday. The women’s
soccer team now has a record of 2-2-1, with a
2-0 loss to N.C. State on Sunday. The Phoenix
continues its season Sept. 18, traveling to
Cullowhee, N.C. for the Western Carolina
Tournament. The first game of the tournament
with be against UNC Asheville. On Sunday the
Phoenix will play Jacksonville State.
Justine Schulerud
Staff Photographer
When the women’s soccer team took the field
Sunday against North Carohna State, senior goalie
Sydney Little had a bit more motivation than the
rest of her team. Little was once a member of the
Wolfpack, before transferring to Elon two years ago.
Despite the 2-0 loss for the Phoenix, Little finished
the game with four saves. The Wolfpack outshot the
Phoenix 8-7. The Phoenix had a single shot on goal
compared to N.C. State’s six shots.
Little is a communications major with a
concentration in public relations.
“Overall, it just was not the right place for me,”
Little said. “1 felt like 1 wasn’t excelling as I could have
while being there."
Little said she decided to come to Elon after
talking to the head soccer coach at UNC Wilmington
who recommended she look to Elon. She knew she
wanted to continue to play soccer. After a visit and
talking to Elon head coach Chris Neal, her decision
was made.
“Sydney (Little) is off to a great start between
the pipes for us,” Neal said. “She has earned three
shutouts in five games and is developing into a great
senior leader for us. She is determined to make her
senior year a great one."
In her two years at Elon, Little has done more
than be the starting goalie for the soccer team. She
serves as a historian for Elon’s chapter of the Public
Relations Student Society of America. She also has
her own weekly talk show for Elon’s radio station,
WSOE.
With Little’s love for music and experience within
the communications field, she said she hopes to work
in the music industry. She specifically would like to
concentrate in concert production. In addition, she
would like to continue using her soccer skill and
knowledge to coach for a club or high school team.
Little’s love for soccer began at a very young age.
She started playing soccer at 5, trading it for ballet
and being the dancer her mom hoped she’d be.
“My mom made me take ballet lessons, and on the
way to the studio we would pass the soccer fields,"
Little said. “1 would cry every day and say, ‘1 want to
do that.’"
Her decision to play soccer paid off.
Little has earned a lot of recognition throughout
her career. She was named the Carolina Dynamo
Super U 88 Soccer Player of the Year in 2004 and a
member of the North Carolina Region 111 Olympic
Development State team from 2001 to 2005. She
was also a member of the Super Y National Select
team in 2006.
She was a four-year varsity letter winner at
Southeast Raleigh High School and was named three
times to the all-state team. She also holds the record
for the most shutouts, 19, at her high school.
Though she has years of playing soccer under her
belt. Little said her favorite soccer memory was made
at Elon. Last year’s win against Maryland was the
first Atlantic Coast Conference win for both Elon and
Little, after two years of playing an ACC team.
As for this season. Little said she has great
expectations for the team. Having such a young team
and a deep bench she said they have nowhere to go
but up.
Though Elon faced a loss against N.C. State, Little
is very happy with her decision to transfer. She said
everyone does a great job of holding themselves both
on and off the field.
“I’m really happy 1 ended up here,” Little said.
“The future of Elon women’s soccer is probably the
brightest thing in the world, and I’m so proud to be
on the forefront of it."
Senior Jessica Barrow continues
to fire up Phoenix volleyball
Jordan Scahill
Reporter
A key ingredient to any volleyball
team is the one player who can be
counted on to take a risk and put the
ball away when the game is on the line.
She is the girl who thrives under
pressure. She leads her team by
example. She always plays with fire,
emotion and sheer determination for
victory.
For the Phoenix, she is senior
outside hitter Jessica Barrow.
Barrow is originally from
Cleveland, Ohio and started playing
volleyball when she was 12 years
old. She was an outside hitter for her
high school team and participated
in six years of Junior Olympic club
volleyball.
Junior Olympics is a competitive
travel volleyball organization where
teams from all across the nation
compete in local, statewide and
national tournaments. For older
players entering their last years of high
school, it is a great way to meet college
coaches and possibly get recruited to
play on a collegiate team.
“1 have four years to do what
I want, and 1 want to get away and
do my own thing,” Barrow said, in
reference to the recruiting process.
She said she chose Elon because of
the warm North Carolina climate and
the chance it offered her to continue
her volleyball career.
Barrow is an exercise/sport
science major, although she has
interests outside of the sport.
“My entire life revolves around
volleyball right now. It’s why I’m
here," Barrow said.
Barrow is the most experienced
Phoenix as this is her fifth year as
a member of the team. Last year,
Barrow was a medical red-shirted
player because of a shoulder injury
during her junior year that required
extensive surgery.
“It was devastating both mentally
and physically to not be able to play
at my full potential,” Barrow said.
“So the coaches and I both decided
that I should sit out my senior year
and play again after my shoulder
healed.”
Surgeons had to completely
reconstruct the joint capsule in
her right shoulder. Barrow said
she always had issues with her
shoulder, but after weight training
and about 5,000 swings a month, the
capsule became too loose to function
properly.
After multiple cortisone shots,
treatments, MRIs and resting her
shoulder for her entire senior year,
Barrow is back in a big way this year,
preparing to lead the Phoenix to
victory.
“Jess (Barrow) has a willingness to
win more than anybody else on our
team," head coach Mary Tendler said.
“She plays with a lot of emotion, and
when the score is 24-24, she will be
the one going up for the big kill,
ready to put the ball away."
In the beginning of the season,
the players voted Barrow as one of
their three team captains, along with
senior Emily Regan and junior Sarah
Schermerhorn.
Barrow has played in many
games as a Phoenix, but her favorite
My entire life revolves
around volleyball right
now. It’s why I’m here.
- Jessica Barrow
SENIOR OUTSIDE HITTER
volleyball memory took place during
her sophomore year when she
helped her team beat the College
of Charleston, finally breaking its
49-0 losing streak against College of
Charleston.
“The strong relationship that 1
have formed with my teammates is
something that cannot be replicated,”
Barrow said.
The Phoenix players spent 12
hours a day together during their
three-week preseason. Now the team
practices every day in addition to
games and tournaments.
Barrow spoke confidently about
this year’s team and said she
looks forward to going far into the
postseason.
“After five years of playing for
hlon, this year’s team by far has the
most depth,” Barrow said. “We have
15 players and are undefeated with a
lot of positive things going our way ”
Barrow plans on possibly
attending physical therapy school in
the spring or taking a year off after
she graduates from Elon.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ELON ATHLETICS