MASON ENJOYS WELL-ROUNDED EXPERIENCE AT CASE...
CLEVELAND, OH (September 14, 2007) - Off to its best start since 2003, the Case Western Reserve University women’s soccer improved to 3-2 with a 2-0 victory over Penn State-Behrend on Thursday (Sept. 13).
A big reason for the team’s success this season has been the play of senior defender/mid-fielder, Bridget Mason (Chicago,IL/St. Ignatius College Prep), who has high hopes for a Spartan team that is under the tutelage of a new coach and learning a new system.
“I have pretty high expectations for this season,” Mason said. “We haven't exactly had stellar records in the past years, so the only option we have is to get better. Coach (Tiffany) Crooks introduced a new system that most of the team was not very familiar with, but she's great about really explaining the game she wants us to play and helping each individual player understand the role they're supposed to play.”
Helping out her teammates, Mason has one assist on the season; recording that in a 4-0 win over Mount Union College on September 11. She has helped anchor the Spartans’ defense which under former Division-I assistant Crooks has allowed just three goals in five games, with three shutouts.
A psychology and philosophy major, Mason spent time abroad for several months, studying at the University of Auckland in New Zealand.
According to the 2006 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, the University of Auckland is one of the top universities in the world, ranking 46th overall among the world’s top universities. Mason was able to take many courses at the University; cognitive psychology and Greek and Roman Ethnic Poetry being two of her favorite.
However, not all of her time was spent in the classroom, as she was able to see much of the New Zealand countryside and participate in sports other than soccer.
“I joined the Auckland University Canoe Club instead of the soccer club because I wanted to take trips on the weekends and the soccer club didn't offer that,” Mason said. “The Canoe Club actually was more of a kayak club that took trips to big rivers almost every weekend. I had never kayaked before, but I loved it because it was totally different rush than any other sport I've ever participated in and I also got to see tons of New Zealand on all the road trips.”
Mason has started all five games for the Spartans this season and has never been subbed out, playing all 450 minutes in those contests. Many of the activities Mason did in New Zealand have helped her become the iron-woman of the women’s soccer team at Case Western Reserve.
“I did a lot of all-day hiking that required 7-8 hours of non-stop walking, up and down hills, and it always seemed like I was never going to reach the top,” Mason said. “I always told myself that I had to finish and get through it and it’s kind of the same way with soccer, being that I play so many minutes.”
Now that she’s back in the friendly confines of Cleveland, Mason has been adjusting to the various differences between New Zealand and the United States.
“The biggest difference between New Zealand and the United States was probably the lifestyle that most people seemed to have,” Mason explained. “Everyone is active and outdoorsy and it seemed a lot less tied to their work. All my friends owned kayaks or surfboards or mountain bikes and every weekend was an adventure to somewhere incredible.”
As a senior and with so many different experiences under her belt, Mason is focused on soccer and helping her team to many victories this season.
“The season will for sure have its rough spots and challenging moments, but I think we'll definitely improve as a team and hopefully impress a couple of people,” Mason said.
Mason and the Spartans host Baladwin-Wallace College under the lights of Case Field Saturday night (Sept. 15) at 7:00 p.m.
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