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10/31/2008 - WOMEN'S SOCCER
Shelton putting finishing touches on record-setting career - Lipscombsports.com
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. - When Katie Shelton was first asked if she wanted to be a goalkeeper she quickly said yes because she thought it would be fun.
"I was a field player until I was 12 or 13," said Shelton. "Our goalkeeper broke her arm. They asked for a volunteer."
As she closes out her college career Friday night she can look back and say, without question, that there were times when it wasn’t all that much fun.
She is the new Atlantic Sun career saves leader with 565 entering her final game with Murray State at 6 at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex. Shelton and midfielder Sara Green will be honored on "Senior" Night.
Shelton has collected more individual awards than anyone in the history of the program. But she has paid a price, playing her freshman season with a dislocated kneecap and then having to sit out a season. She was still recovering from shoulder issues when this season began.
"I had played some of last season with a shoulder problem," said Shelton. "The team did a lot better job protecting me this season. It was stated at the beginning of the season that if we wanted to win games we had to play good defense. We had some girls in the back who have stepped up this season and played like they have never played before. If it wasn’t for that other teams would have hammered me for 40 shots a game.
"The saves record is fantastic. But if we lose it doesn’t matter how many saves I have. We still lost. We win as a team. We lose as a team. I am just put in a position where individually I am going to stick out more than anyone else."
Lady Bisons coach Jon Ireland wanted his team to not only cut down on shots, but to reduce the number of quality shots.
"Last year we gave up too many quality shots from places like 18-yards in the box that were forcing Katie to have to dive, do a full extension or have to tip it over the cross bar," said Ireland. She has not had to make a ton of tough saves this season. She has made big saves, but she hasn't had to dive all over the place. By limiting the quality shots that is allowing Katie to make the three or four spectacular saves that keep us in a game."
Ireland inherited Shelton as the goalkeeper two seasons ago when he took over the program. He realized quickly that she was a top performer at her position.
"When I saw her workout I realized she was very athletic," said Ireland. "On this level you have to have size as a keeper and have a strong enough body to withstand all of the hits that you take.
"She has all the tools she needs to be a very, very good goalkeeper. A lot of kids have athletic ability and size but what separates her is her determination and competitiveness. She hates to lose. She hates giving up goals. When she gives up a goal all you have to do is look at her face. She is going to let her defenders know that she is not happy."
As a freshman in high school she played the sweeper position. She played in goal as a sophomore at Beech High School in Hendersonville, Tenn., but she also split time at the forward spot.
As a junior she realized that her place for the rest of her high school career would be in the net. She admits she wasn’t all that enamored with the prospects.
"In the beginning I was a little upset about it," said Shelton. "Our team was really good at the time. When you play for a good team, and you are the goalkeeper, you don't get to participate all that much.
"It was very difficult for me to go from being a field player to goalkeeper. I was always that person who wanted to be a part of every single play. In the beginning I was a little bitter about it."
