Finally her time to shine
In Hollywood it is always difficult to follow up a great movie with a great sequel. People’s expectations are so high from the first movie that the sequel is almost always a let down. The modern day “Star Wars,” “Caddyshack 2,” “Ocean’s Twelve,” “The Next Karate Kid,” “Batman and Robin,” “The Hangover 2,” “The Godfather Part 3” and numerous others have all been seen as disappointments.
In the world of sports, following in the footsteps of a great athlete is no different. Utah State women’s soccer goalkeeper Ashlyn Mulford will try to do just that this season. Mulford is a senior who sat most of her first three years as an Aggie behind Molli Merrill.
“We have been through alot together and the two of us were able to challenge each other to be better each day,” Merrill said. “She challenged me, I challenged her. Now it is her time. She has been waiting for so long and she has done everything she can do to take this opportunity.”
Merrill is one of the best goalkeepers in USU history. During her spectacular four-year career as an Aggie, Merrill won several awards. In 2011 she earned first-team all-WAC honors and recorded 11 shutouts in 22 games. She was also named to the WAC all-tournament team in 2009 and 2011. Merrill holds the school record for career shutouts at 23.
“Molli was my colleague for a long time and now she is my coach,” Mulford said. “I respect her a lot and she teaches me a ton of things. She just keeps me on top of my game.”
That is all in the past. Mulford is looking toward the future.
“I’ve worked really hard the last three years and it’s one of the best feelings ever knowing my hard work is going out onto the field now,” Mulford said.
Before this season, Mulford played in seven games and started in two of those contests for the Aggies. USU head coach Heather Cairns says Mulford is ready to seize the opportunity.
“She has been stepping up in a lot of ways,” Cairns said. “Mulford has been playing better and with more confidence in the front of the net, making good decisions and playing the best soccer of her career at Utah State.”
“I expect Ashlyn to lead our team, earn shutouts and give our team confidence,” Cairns said. “There is a lot of things that goalkeepers are going to be counted on and the standards are really high. I think she can live up to them.”
Mulford brings a lot of experience and energy to the team as a senior.
“Being a senior I can tell them to enjoy it while it lasts,” Mulford said. “There is going to be hard times, there are going to be good times, but the best part is having your team there with you through all of it.”
Mulford has played in eight games for the Aggies, allowing only four goals against her opponents. She has earned three shutouts and 35 saves through the eight games.
“Ashlyn is awesome,” Merrill said. “She has stepped it up so much. She trains every single day so hard and just brings it to the field. She has been awesome for our team.”
Mulford and the Aggies are hoping to build on their success from last year where they made it to the first round of the NCAA tournament.
“We made it to the first round last year and I think we can easily do that again this year,” Mulford said. “As long as we are working hard and we keep that mentality, I think we can make it as far as we did or further. I feel like I can hel
p my team make it to that level.”
–jborba@aggiemail.usu.edu