Play a little game around Soldiers Field sometime. Word association. The trigger words are "Harvard women's soccer." And the response? Well, it's a pretty good bet that nine out of ten people answer with "Sue St. Louis." Maybe even ten out of ten.

After all, she holds just about all the records there are to hold--including most goals in a game, season and career. She's been All-Ivy three times, she's started every varsity game that Harvard women's soccer has ever played, and she's co-captain of this year's squad.

Visible

She's also one of the most visible players out on the field, whether she's taking an opposing fullback one-on-one or letting loose a shot that can be more accurately described as a blast.

The amazing Sue St. Louis had never played a minute of a soccer game before she arrived at Harvard. As a matter of fact, she had never even touched a soccer ball until the summer before her freshman year.

"My brother Mike (Sue has six brothers, all athletes, and a sister) had played intramural soccer at Harvard the year before and needed someone to play with," the Leverett House senior says. "So he pressured me into it and dragged me outside. And once I started playing I really liked it."

Sibling Rivalry

Sue and her brother played one-on-one soccer, to which Sue now credits her ability to go in on the defense alone, but which left her restricted in overall soccer skills when she arrived at Harvard.

"My individual skills were pretty good when I got here, but I had no notion of playing on a team," she says. "I was hoping when I got to school that I could maybe make the J.V."

That year was of course the year that Harvard women's soccer emerged from club status to the full varsity level, but it still came as a pleasant surprise to Sue when she made the varsity. She was even in the starting line-up for the first game of the season. At halfback.

"I played the whole first half in the midfield," the Groton, Conn., native says. "Then in the second half I moved to center forward and I've been there ever since." And how.

Sue went on to score 19 goals that year from the center forward spot including the team's first seven goals of its 9-2-1 season. Not bad for the first time out with the women's varsity team.

The center forward spot in those days was tailored to the skills of St. Louis--the midfielders shot the ball up over the opposing team's fullbacks and Sue raced them to the ball, hoping to get off a good shot on net. As a result, Sue only had one assist during her freshman year.

Guilt

"I used to feel really guilty that I got 19 goals and only one assist. But that was one of the best things about this team. Everyone was so friendly and close. There was no resentment."