MEDFORD — It didn’t take Lynnfield native Liz Reed long to make her impact known on the women’s soccer team at Division III Tufts University. Reed scored six goals and distributed three assists in 19 starts last fall as a freshman, helping the Jumbos to a 10-6-3 record and an appearance in the Division III NCAA Tournament.
Now Reed looks forward to taking the next step in her progression as a college student-athlete and continuing to improve her game. In five games this season as a sophomore, Reed, a forward, has scored two goals and tallied four assists. The Jumbos are 5-0 this year, outscoring their opponents 15-0 in the process.
“It’s been a great start but we have to keep it up,” Reed, a 2017 Lynnfield High graduate, said. “We look strong as a whole squad. Our team is so incredibly deep. If there’s one person that can’t play, there’s someone else that can come up, support us and help us win a game.”
Tufts head coach Martha Whiting has seen Reed’s progression through the early going of her sophomore campaign. Whiting said Reed has developed confidence on the field and the results are showing.
“I think the big jump, typically from freshman to sophomore year is in the confidence level,” Whiting said. “We’ve seen it already. We can already tell she’s ahead of where she was last year at this time. She has a few assists and scored her first goal (last Sunday) so we anticipate more of that to come.”
Although incoming freshmen often find themselves catching up to a learning curve as they jump from high school to college, Reed showed little trouble in her first year at Tufts. Despite her early success last year, Reed feels as though nothing’s guaranteed and she brings that mentality with her each day on the field.
“Nothing was guaranteed. Everyday in practice I had to show I belonged on the field,” Reed said. “At any moment, anybody can show they deserve my position. It’s good to stay humble and work toward the success of the team and not myself.
“The pace of the game is a very big change from high school. You’re playing with a lot of selected players who play at a high level. It’s a different game. Freshman year was an adjustment season but sophomore year I’m more prepared for what will come and what’s expected of me.”
It took her a few games to get back into the groove of things and find the back of the net but Reed feels she’s in midseason form. Reed logged two assists in Tufts’ season-opening victory at Emerson. She scored her first goal of the season in a 5-0 win over Keene State.
“It was a relief in all aspects,” Reed said of scoring her first goal of the season. “I had opportunities in my first two games and I didn’t finish them. To finally get a goal, the floodgates have finally opened. I’m looking forward to helping my team, whether it’s scoring or assisting and I’m just looking forward to what’s ahead.”
Reed said she made it a point to work on her mental toughness this year. She found herself feeling down after making mistakes last fall. This season, she’s looking to use those errors as learning experiences.
“You can only be as good as your mind is,” Reed said. “For me, positive and self-talk is something I’m looking to improve during the season. Oftentimes I find myself looking at a mistake as a failure. If I change it around and say ‘I have the next one,’ a more positive opportunity will result rather than a mistake.”
Things are also going well for Reed in the classroom. A biology major, Reed keeps a busy schedule with soccer and academics but support from her coaches and professors helps her succeed on both ends.
“Usually whenever I’m not on the field I’m either in the library or doing work somewhere in class, Reed said. “Tufts really stresses the student-athlete combination and especially in my coaches’ eyes. It’s a lot of balance but it works, a lot of long hours but at the end of the day it’s really worth it.
“I’m so lucky to be a part of such a great community with great coaches and a great team. I can’t wait to see what the season holds.”
The Jumbos host Brandeis Saturday (noon), looking to remain undefeated.
