Still going strong
The 2011 season is turning out to be a special one for the USU women’s soccer team. It already set a team record for wins to start the season — coming out of the gates with eight victories in a row. The team will be looking to carry the momentum forward to play in the Western Athletic Conference and on to the postseason.
It is also turning out to be a special season for USU forward Shantel Flanary. Not only is it her senior year and her last chance to don an Aggie uniform, but she’s also already scored eight goals, including a hat-trick against Idaho State.
“We definitely started on quite the streak,” Flanary said.
The awards and accolades have come fast and furious for Flanary. She was the WAC Freshman of the Year in 2008. In 2009 and 2010 she was First-Team All-WAC. Along with the First-Team All-WAC in 2009, she was also the WAC Offensive Player of the Year. Despite it all, she remains a team-first player and shares the credit with those on the field.
“I can’t take all the credit for it, I haven’t done it alone,” Flanary said. “I’ve had a lot of people help me. My teammates have done a great job in setting me up. They get the props as much as I do.”
Even with the recent struggles the team has had on the road, Flanary remains positive about how her senior year is going and about what the Aggies can achieve.
“It’s gone really well,” Flanary said. “Overall I can’t complain. We’ve already broken a lot of records. We’re looking to break some more.”
From her 2008 freshman year when she started 14 games, to now, Flanary has been a huge part of the Aggies’ success. She already has 32 career goals and 12 assists for the Aggies. Besides that, she’s led Utah State in three consecutive winning seasons and a probable fourth this year. Even with so many great moments and memories to look back on, there’s one, she said, that will always hold the top spot for Flanary.
“My sophomore year we played Utah at Rio Tinto, and I scored the game winning goal,” Flanary said. “Not only were we playing in the most amazing stadium, but to get the game winner against Utah is pretty special.”
Such performances and victories have been key in getting USU women’s soccer the respect it deserves.
“No longer is it just BYU and Utah,” Flanary said. “We’re making a name for ourselves in the state. We’ve put ourselves on the map. It’s exciting to feel that I’ve been a part of it.”
USU is still scheduled for six regular season games, plus the postseason. Flanaray said she is definitely looking to make the most of it and not just sit on her eight goals.
When asked about how many goals she wants to have by the end of the season, Flanary said she would like to score more than anyone ever has in an Aggie uniform.
“I would like to break the record,” Flanary said. “But more than that, it’s having a goal to get enough to win the WAC. Scoring 15 or 20 goals isn’t worth anything if we don’t win the WAC, or if we don’t get to the NCAA’s.”
While Flannary’s success is largely a product of her cohesion with her teammates and their abilities, she said there is another person there to inspire her along the way.
“My Dad’s my hero,” Flanary said. “He’s my biggest critic, but he’s also my biggest fan.”
For Flanary, though, the thought of being able to play soccer on such a collegiate level wasn’t something she really considered until high school, with the help of Lone Peak head coach Mike LaHargoue.
“My high school coach definitely made me realize that I can go somewhere with this and that I have potential,” Flanary said.
Flanary said her own time on the pitch has gone by quickly.
“It definitely has flown by way too fast,” the 5-foot-3 forward said. “It’s amazing to think I’m a senior this year. It felt like just last year I was a freshman.”
And what will Flanary do after she graduates?
“I’ve thought about maybe playing overseas,” Flanary said. “We’ll see how schooling goes and how my body holds up.”
– eliason.wright3@aggiemail.usu.edu