to this wonderful team."

Despite starting as a freshman at the position that brings with it the most pressure, Gunther quickly eased into the spot and never looked back.

"The goalkeeper position calls for a

leadership role in the defense," she said.

"My defenders were very supportive and treated me as a teammate instead

of as a freshman. They listened to me even though they obviously had more

experience. On the other teams I have been on, it takes a very long time for the defenders to start respecting me as a leader in the back. I became increasingly vocal as the season

progressed and I hope to become even more vocal [in the future]."