October 3, 1997
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Though she stands only 5-foot-2, Furman freshman Sarah Tollick has been a big part of the early success of the women's soccer team. A starter at midfielder in all 11 of the Lady Paladins' matches, Tollick has been one of Furman's most consistent and energetic players.
Sarah put forth her finest collegiate performance, recording a goal and an assist in Furman's 2-1 upset victory over Florida State on September 28. The win ranks as one of the biggest victories for Furman's four-year-old women's soccer program. With heavy rains throughout the match, it would have been easy for a freshman like Tollick to be slowed down or lose focus. Instead, Sarah was arguably the best player on the field that day, outplaying her counterparts from the ACC.
With 40:30 elapsed in the first half, Sarah placed a beautiful high cross in front of the goal, setting up Furman's go-ahead goal. The Lady Paladins we able to hold their lead over the ACC rival until the 81:30 mark in the second half when the Lady Seminoles evened the score. With the likelihood of overtime rapidly increasing, Tollick sealed the victory with the game-winning goal with 1:05 left in regulation.
"That was an all-around fun game to play in," said Tollick. "It was awesome to get a win like that. The weather forced us to change our style of play, but we came together and fought hard."
Furman head coach Brian Lee has been very impressed with the performance of the elusive freshman.
"Sarah has stepped in and contributed nicely as a freshman," Lee said. "She plays with a great understanding of the game for such a young player. She has played well all year, but her performance against Florida State was excellent."
Furman's women's soccer team currently holds a 6-4-1 overall record, 1-1 in the Southern Conference.
Tollick is a 1997 graduate of Seton Keough High School in Columbia, Md, where she led Seton Keough as MVP and leading scorer, along with being named to the league all-star team. Sarah picked Furman over several other noteworthy programs.
"I always wanted to play Division I soccer, and I have had a great experience at Furman," said Tollick. "We have a lot of support from the school and the team has been great. Furman has given me a great balance between academics and athletics."
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