Although many know the name Meg Murphy, few can claim to be lucky enough to spend time with the soccer star. Although at times quiet and reserved, since her arrival on campus in 2006, the senior has been extremely busy in establishing herself as an integral part of the women’s soccer team.
At the time of publication, Murphy’s career totals included 24 goals and 11 assists in 58 games played over the past four seasons. Her long list of achievements and awards includes: Second Team All-American, NESCAC Player of the Year, three-time All-New England selection and three-time All-NESCAC selection. A leader by example, Murphy was elected by her teammates to serve as a tri-captain this season, along with Jill Whiting ’10 and Lili Ferguson ’10.
So far, the team is off to a great start with a 4-1 record and three wins over NESCAC opponents. I sat down with the famous Meg Murphy and talk to her about her individual success, this year’s team, and her goals for the season.
Claire Galiette: So Meg, to start off, I think some of your fans are wondering how long it took you to develop into the great player you are today.
Meg Murphy: Well, I started playing soccer when I was about five years old, just a little chum chum. As soon as I could start playing sports basically.
CG: What has kept you motivated after all these years?
MM: I love soccer, I love playing, I always have. I love my teammates and being on a team, everyone working for that common goal. The Amherst women’s soccer team is especially awesome. We just have so much fun, I’m always excited to go down to practice and see all my best friends. We definitely have a really special team.
CG: How do you think your early success as a freshman has impacted the rest of your career?
MM: It was a great honor and a great start to my career to be Rookie of the Year and All-NESCAC my freshman year. I looked at it as something to build on. I wanted to continue that level of success and make sure that each year I was better than I was the last.
CG: How has being a captain this year changed your perspective or experience?
MM: I definitely have a newfound respect for my captains from the three previous years. It involves more responsibility, being more aware of everyone else on the team, and building a stronger relationship with the coaches.
CG: How do you think the season is going so far?
MM: Excellent. We had a little bump in the road at Skidmore but we’ve learned from it and we’re not going to let that happen again. I know we’re going to be very successful. My hope is to win a NESCAC championship, I’d like one of those before I graduate. Also, another great run in the NCAA’s because that is fun and I love fun.
CG: What has been the team’s hardest game so far?
MM: The Skidmore game, in terms of not just letting it be a loss, but actually using it to our advantage in the future, and I think we’ve done that so far.
CG: What is the team’s biggest challenge this season?
MM: Playing 90 minutes. We need to make sure that we come out ready from the start and keep that up throughout the whole game. We also have a lot of inexperience and we need everyone to step up.
CG: Any signature moves?
MM: I don’t really have “moves.” Sometimes I like to pull out a Jamaican roll/Maradona here and there. It’s effective when the girls don’t know what hit ‘em.
CG: Can you walk us through your header goal versus Conn. last Saturday?
MM: Katherine [Nathan ’13] played the ball out to Jackie [Hirsch ’11], and I know that Jackie likes to play chipped, lofted balls into the box for people streaking in. I thought that the ball was over my head, but then I jumped with all my might and redirected it into the goal. It felt like I was a good 10 feet in the air but I imagine I was probably only about three inches off the ground. It was my first goal of the season, I was having some trouble finishing in the previous games. So it was just really good to get that monkey off my back.
CG: What’s your favorite goal you’ve ever scored in your college career?
MM: The Conn. goal was pretty sweet. Also, my freshman year against Wheaton in the NCAA’s I scored about 22 seconds into the game. It was a header, a bouncing ball in the box. I scored a second goal too in that game and we won 3-0, a game which has gone down in history as the Wheaton Massacre.
CG: Can you gives us a preview of the Williams game this coming Saturday?
MM: It will be a clash of the titans. We have been the top two teams in the conference for the past few years, it’s a heated school rivalry, so it’s always a good game. I’m confident that we’ll come out on top. I’m gonna try to score. We don’t like each other at all, especially since they beat us in overtime in the NESCAC finals last year. We’ve got a bone to pick. And it’s going to happen on the grass field at 2 p.m. on Saturday.