Sordahl No Surprise to RiverHawks

TAHLEQUAH, OKLA. -- Big surprises often come in small packages and Northeastern State University women’s soccer player Rachel Sordahl, has surprised the RiverHawks opposition.

The petite freshman forward from Pryor has scored seven of the 10 goals for the RiverHawks this season in leading Northeastern State to a 3-3 record, heading into Sunday’s Lone Star Conference opener against the University of Central Oklahoma. Play begins at the RiverHawks pitch at 2 p.m.

The shy Sordahl is far from shy on the pitch.

In her first collegiate soccer game, Sordahl turned a hat trick (three goals) which is almost unheard of in soccer circles. Her hat trick led the RiverHawks to an opening season victory over Oklahoma Science & Arts in overtime, 4-3.

RiverHawks head coach Carol Melo, who won a recruiting battle for Sordahl services, said she hasn’t been surprised by her forward’s scoring ability.

Sordahl , who played for the Hurricane in Broken Arrow (club soccer) where she was the club’s leading scorer, attended Charlie Mitchell’s soccer camp (former Northeastern State coach) several years ago and became interested in attending Northeastern State.

“When she came here for a visit it was just a good match,’’ said Melo.” It was close to her home and it worked out very well for her and very well for us so far.

“I had high expectations for Rachel. Every game we scouted her she would score. Right then and there I knew she would be a goal scorer. We lacked that goal scorer last season. Our leading scorer a year ago had only five goals. Rachel has already surpassed that.

“She is getting better every game. She is creating a lot of opportunities for chances for the other girls also,’’ said Melo.

Sordahl, who ranks either one-or-two in every offensive category in the Lone Star Conference admits she has been “surprised’’ by her offensive output in college thus far.

“I just didn’t expect this,’’ said Sordahl. I’m just a very aggressive player” said Sordahl , who was Pryor High School’s offensive player of the year all four years of her prep career.

“I just go for the net. I don’t let anything get in my way to score,’’ said Sordahl.

The Pryor native, who was also a state high school track qualifier, in the 4x800, 4x400, 4x200, 4x100, and a medal winner in the 4x800, said she “doesn’t do anything special to score.’’

“When I’m focused, I try to spin off the defender with the ball or just out run them. I don’t have a special shot that I work on. I just put it in the back of the net.”

Concerning Sunday’s conference opener against rival University of Central Oklahoma, Sordahl said “I’m ready.

“I’ll play my hardest and hope for a win. We could easily be 6-0 or 5-1 this season. We just have to work out some kinks.”

Looking back at the season opener against USAO in which she scored the hat trick Sordahl said, “I really didn’t expect anything like that. I just went out, played hard and the goals came. I was really excited about it.

“I just give it my all, every game.’’

That’s what RiverHawks coach Melo expects from her top goal scorer.

“I think a freshman getting her first start and then scoring a hat trick in her very first game was just amazing and surprising,” said Melo.

“It kind of set the pace for her this season. Now she just goes out there and does her very best. The girls on the team now expect to get a goal when she scores.

“It was pretty amazing she got that hat trick in the first game and it brought us the win,’’ said Melo.

Melo expects a battle in the conference opener against the Bronchos, who will enter the match with a 5-3-1 record.

The RiverHawks will face the leagues reigning LSC Defensive Player of the Year in senior fullback Alli Miller, who was named last week’s LSC defensive player of the week.

UCO will enter the match on a five-game winning streak, allowing just nine shots in two games, in rolling over St. Mary’s (4-0) and Texas A&M International (6-0).

“Sunday’s game is going to be a tough one, but we have the small advantage of playing at home,’’ said Melo. “UCO is always a very strong team and they are used to winning. The girls are playing harder and harder.

“We lost a couple of games we should have won, but we can’t cry over that. But Sunday will be a good match for us,’’ said Melo.