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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 4, 1998)
Husker players learn from first season Tatum, Greco now major threats By Darren Ivy Staff writer Sitting on the bench last season, Lauren Tatum and Julie Greco had a lot of time to think about their Mmes on the Nebraska womenk soccer team. Each player averaged 15 minutes per game while playing in threerfourths of the Comhuskers’ matches. They never started. As freshmen, they waited on the bench to see action and didn’t talk much. They would cheer their teammates on, but inside, Tatum and Greco said they were thinking about how frustrating it was not to play and won dered if it would ever change. They said they wondered whether it was worth sticking it out at Nebraska. About that time, one of them would have their number called. “I just sat there all bundled up waiting for John (Walker) to say, ‘Lauren, warm up,”’ Tatum said. “Then I jumped off the bench and pulled off my warm-ups as fast as I could. “It doesn’t matter if it is 10 degrees outside. I was just so excited.” This season, as sophomores, Tatum and Greco have gone full-circle and could be the ones the players on the bench are talking about. The pair of 5-foot-3 speedsters are likely to Qtart Annncifp nrw» annfViAr nn tVw* frnnt lino in tonight’s home opener. The Huskers play Wisconsin-Milwaiikee at 7 p.m. at the Abbott Sports Complex. “I’m really excited for the start of a new sea son, a new year,” Greco said. “My role has com pletely changed. I went from playing not much to seeing a lot of time.” As an incoming freshman, Greco thought she would be able to contribute as a defender, but 1 then she tore die meniscus ligament in her knee during preseason drills. She had arthroscopic surgery two weeks before school started. Recovering from the surgery completely immobilized Greco for three weeks and put her < out of game action for six weeks. i gained,” GrgggWftolgH) always trymg^BqpSsai baelrmto shape and be where everyone else was *1 a month before.” ] During those trying times, she said she was ] trying to find out where she fit in on the team, or if she did at all. With fellow freshmen Heather ■ Dyche, Sarah McCrea and Sarah Deacon already HUH I looking to transfer, the temptation and curiosity also was there for Greco. “Just being a freshman is really hard,” Greco said. “If you come here to play, most of the time you were the best player on your club or high school team. Then you have to sit on the bench and learn new coaches and new players.” That was also the case with Tatum, who was the Louisiana State Player of the Year her senior season while playing for the top high school team in the state. Unlike Greco, Tatum said she wasn’t ready to play right away. The Baton Rouge, La., native said the level of soccer in her home state is below most places in the nation, and she knew it would take some time to adjust to Division I soccer. “I had to learn a lot of stuff that most people already knew coming out of high school - things like what types of runs to make as a forward and basic defensive techniques,” Tatum said. Although Tatum said she wasn’t as good as most of the other Huskers,she didn’t stop hoping for playing time. “In the back of your mind, you hope you are mina tn Xatiim caiH But she didn’t: On top of that, she was homesick. And to make matters worse, she couldn’t go home because her parents had moved. “It made it even harder to keep plugging iway with no benefits,” Tatum said Then the season finally ended and Tatum and 3reco had some time away from soccer. By the time the spring season rolled around, hey figured it was too late to transfer, even hough Greco said she was still “iffy.” Tatum saw a lot of action in the spring and iecided she would give it one more year and then e-evaluate her situation. Greco, however, suffered another setback - a Mut iujuiythaf limitedher playing time in the rirst few spring games. That injury finally tealed, allowing Greco to see her first serious claying time as a Husker. “Once I started playing, I realized this is vhere I like playing,” Greco said. For Greco and Tatum, starting together as Matt Miller/DN SOPHOMORE STRIKER JUUE GRECO spent most of her freshman season sitting on the bench and cheering for her teammates. Greco and fellow sophomore Lauren Tatum are expected to start tonight at 7 p.m. against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee at the Abbott Sports Complex. strikers could be short-lived.. about what he will do when everyone returns, but Lindsey Eddleman, a second-team All- he said he will try Tatum and Greco as outside America striker, is expected to be back from a midfielders as well. broken foot within a few weeks and will likely “They have the type of speed you need to take one of their spots. play that position,” Walker said. “The more ver Greco said that if she was the one who had to satile they are, the more minutes they will sit, she would be happy for both Eddleman and receive.” Tatum. Said Greco: “I don’t really care where I play. . Coach John Walker really hasn’t thought I just want to play.” 1 "—I FRACTIONS j^sjygw-~ jrd Players atW.C.’s ^ 1:00 - close / ^ Come beat the cover! Empyrean Ales will be there with prizes! \ $1 Well drinks from 8-9! 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