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Senior defender Sydnie Telson used her head – and her heart – on the pitch to help propel the San Francisco women's soccer team to an historic season, her last on the Hilltop.
 
"My dad always said, you have brains in your head and feet in your shoes, and you can go anywhere you choose," reflected an emotional Telson as the season wound down. "And I know, for a fact, that I can go anywhere because my parents are right by my side."
 
On Senior Day, Telson and the Dons took on San Diego in a pivotal match against San Diego. Telson's header – a play she has sought to perfect during her collegiate career - sealed the win in double-overtime.
 
USF went on to close out the year on the road finishing second in the West Coast Conference, the best finish in Dons women's soccer history.
 
This vignette on the senior defender from Torrance, Calif., was featured in USF's cable television series, "Behind the Mask." The show, which takes viewers beyond the game, profiles all 15 varsity sports at USF. Telson's segment originally debuted in November, but can be seen in upcoming re-airings of the episode scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., on Comcast SportsNet California. The next episode in the series is slated to hit the airwaves on Dec. 21.
 
In the San Francisco Bay Area, CSNCA can typically be found on channel 698 for DirecTV customers, 438 on the Dish Network, 412-01 on Dish Hopper packages, 767 on U-Verse and 41 on most Comcast packages. Check local listings for additional air dates and times, or visit the USF Athletics YouTube channel to watch more "Behind the Mask."