Collegiate Times

Last season, the Virginia Tech women’s soccer team made its first-ever appearance in the ACC Championship game and received its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2004.

Part of that success can be attributed to the consistent play of then-freshman goalkeeper Kristin Carden.

This summer, Carden’s name, however, disappeared from the women’s soccer roster. Then, around Sept. 13 in the middle of the team’s season, her name reappeared.

So did her play.

Carden has started all 10 games since her return and has a 7-3 overall record in those games with a 41-14 save-to-goal ratio.

“As a mentor, to any player, I have such joy that she is enjoying herself,” head coach Kelly Cagle said. “She’s a great leader by body language on the field for us, not just in her height, but when she makes a mistake she hits her chest and says, ‘my fault,’ and I think that’s empowering to the players around her.”

Tech ended last season 10-9-4 overall and 4-4-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

Carden played in 19 of the Hokies’ 23 games last season, starting in 18 of them. Along the way, she led the Hokies, netting shutouts against No. 5 Florida State and No. 12 Virginia and playing in goal during five of Tech’s school-record nine shutouts.

Carden ended 2008 with 76 saves and 24 goals in 1,664 total minutes of play — not bad for a freshman.

With only a few players lost and eight incoming freshmen, the Hokies looked to surpass their 2008 season accomplishments with experienced players in 2009.

As the season quickly approached and the time commitment became more abundant, Carden reevaluated her place on the team.

The team did not comment on the exact reason for Carden’s unexpected leave, but she was removed from the official roster over the summer.

The Hokies quickly rallied to find a goalkeeper, recruiting junior Rebekah Brook from far-off New Zealand.

Through the first few games, Brook served as a solid keeper for the team. Cagle made the decision shortly thereafter, however, to intervene and move senior forward Robin Chidester between the posts.

Chidester, who had briefly played in goal for Tech in 2007, rose to the challenge.

Unfortunately, it was a catch-22 for the Hokies because what Chidester brought to the team in terms of goalkeeping abilities, the team also lost in her attacking prowess.

Sometime around Sept. 13, after the Hokies beat the College of Charleston 3-0, Kristin Carden reappeared on the team’s roster.

“Different girls on the team had been talking to Carden, informally, and then Kelly and her talked formally,” Chidester said. “Kelly then spoke with the captains. She wasn’t going to just let her back on if it was going to throw off our chemistry. So she talked to the captains, and we just discussed it with her and decided that it was a good thing for our team for her to come back.”

Cagle, emphasizing a team-mentality, is excited to have Carden back and already sees improvements in the sophomore compared to her play last year.

“I think one of the biggest differences that I’ve seen with Kristin is her true enjoyment of being back, of playing, of leading — you can see it on her face,” Cagle said. “I think she’s just so much more coachable, so happy to be here, enjoying what she’s doing, and that’s only going to allow her to shine.”
Carden immediately proved to the team, especially to her new teammates, why she was back.

“We actually watched some film from our ACC championship last year when Carden was in goal, and (the new players) just saw her and saw her presence and how awesome she did in that game,” Chidester said. “That made them trust the team’s decision to have her back right away.”

“Kristin is back because she wants to be back, and she is also here because I want her here,” Cagle said. “There were no phone calls of me or her begging. There was a conversation about an opportunity for her to be able to play, flat out. Mutuality, at its absolute, is communication and trust. The way it happened, I couldn’t be prouder or happier that she’s back. It’s all very positive; there is zero negativity, not one thing.”

Before Carden’s return, the Hokies were 5-3-0 overall and had yet to play a game in conference. Since her return, the team has moved up to No. 12 in the country and has surpassed last season’s win total with at least three games to go at 12-5 overall.

“My whole thought is that any decisions that are made here, if they’re best for our team, they’re no-brainers,” Cagle said. “Kristin is so good in her position, but the best thing is that she’s a part of our team. We will absolutely stay together as a team, and Carden is a big part of that, but not bigger than anybody else. Those are the conversations she and I had, and to me that is the epitome of using everyone’s strengths and letting them shine, but molding them into one common desire as a team.”

Just a sophomore, Carden could easily have a great future with the program. For now, though, while her future and the program’s future’s remain undecided, the 2009 season remains the focus.

“I am committed to this season, and I’m committed to what we’re doing now, where we are for the next game and for the rest of the season,” Carden said of her future with the team. “After that, we’ll see. I’ve really been enjoying it though, it’s been a great opportunity to be back here, regardless of anything in the future, it’s been great.”