"We've been getting comments from the other coaches that they take USF very seriously now, and within the next couple of years we'll be a program to be reckoned with," said Coach Erik Visser. Visser, however, will lose seniors Mette Holli Brashear, a softball player trying soccer for the first time this year with the soccer Dons, had the challenge expanded last week. With Angela Whitney, also a softballer, out with a broken foot, Brashear took over in the goal, easily the hardest soccer position to master. Still Coach Erik Visser thought she would be a natural with her good athletic ability, competitive spirit, and desire to learn. Great, but Brashear's competitiveness has led her to a rash of injuries. First, she had her nose dislocated and was forced to wear an unsightly mask to protect it from further injury. Then on Tuesday, while learning new techniques from the men's players she was hit, and had one of her teeth pierce her skin below the lip. Still, she played the next day against Stanford. The Dons played an exciting first ten minutes, frequently controlling the ball on their end, and Brashear contributed a couple of leaping saves in traffic. But late in the half, Stanford's Stacy Keare forced her to make a diving save, but when Keare hit Brashear, the ball was jarred loose, resulting in an easy goal.
Next year Pearsall loses five seniors. She will have some scholarship money but little more after filling her first priority, a pitcher to replace Diana Robinson. That means she has to be resourceful. Finding student-athletes who may not be highly recruited, may be excellent athletes but have little softball experience, or who are smart enough to merit an academic scholarship is the key. But you can get only so much through that route. "I feel bad that we can't get the players we need to make us more competitive," said senior outfield Holli Brashear. "We're known as a cellar team and you get tired of that. We want to be competitive. That's what sports are all about. But I've been told by people in the Athletic Department that the philosophy is one thing, but the business aspect is another. But it's hard to accept that (TheFoghorn)."
Brashear won the 1985 Green and Gold Award for Women's Soccer.
