Women’s Soccer: Habbel closing in on multiple school records

With a one-timer from roughly five yards out, Ashley Habbel scored a rare goal — as well as… With a one-timer from roughly five yards out, Ashley Habbel scored a rare goal — as well as Pitt’s only goal — in a 1-0 women’s soccer win against Kent State last week.

It’s not unusual for Habbel to score or win a game for Pitt soccer, but the goal was her 18th as a Panther, tying her for most in school history. It’s something she never could have predicted when she arrived at the University four years ago.

“As a freshman, I was very tentative and not very confident,” Habbel said. “As I got more experience on the field and got older, my confidence grew. I will be ecstatic if I break the record. I think it’s a great way to leave my mark here.”

With 14 games remaining — practically a complete season — it seems inevitable that Habbel will net her record-breaking 19th career goal sometime this year.

Her next chance to break the scoring record is on Friday when Pitt takes the field against Drexel. Habbel is currently tied with Cande Ruiz for the career goals record. Ruiz played at Pitt from 1998-2001 and also holds the career points record with 47. Habbel can surpass that mark by adding six more points to her current total of 42. A goal counts for two points, and an assist is one.

“I try not to think about it too much because I don’t want to dwell. Soccer is a team sport, but it means a lot. The records haven’t been broken in nine years,” Habbel said.

Habbel’s scoring ability is crucial to the team’s success and Pitt head coach Sue-Moy Chin said she has a gift for scoring game-winning goals, including her goal against Kent State to tie the record. Habbel has accumulated nine game-winning goals so far in her career.

“Breaking the record was definitely one of her goals coming in to this season,” Chin said. “The fact that she is so close now is just a testament to her work rate, both in season and out of season. She’s good with possession. She’s been able to hold the ball for us, which hasn’t always been easy.”

Along with her physical skills, Chin said Habbel’s leadership is one of the most important assets she brings to the team. Habbel recognizes how to be successful on and off the field, Chin said, and her teammates respect and follow her.

“She understands the big picture,” Chin said. “Her desire to win is very good and she understands the work it takes in order to be successful.”

Habbel, an applied developmental psychology major, said it was especially important for her to take on a leadership role during her senior season because she is one of the most experienced girls on the team.

“It’s our job to help [younger teammates] through things and to be there for them,” Habbel said. “It’s very important, because I can remember my seniors, and we had some very good leaders.”

That leadership helped Habbel develop into an accomplished forward — but as a freshman, Habbel said she had no visions of potentially breaking school records. All she wanted to do was play soccer.

“That was all I was worried about, just getting on the field,” Habbel said. “That was my main goal. Then, as I started playing more, I wanted to contribute more to us winning, whether that was scoring goals or just playing more. As a freshman, I never would’ve guessed it.”

Despite her personal success, Habbel described her biggest strengths — her will to win and her competitiveness — with a focus on how they help her team win.

“That in itself has made me do everything I can in order to score,” Habbel said. “If we score, we win. I think those are the most important things.”

She said she didn’t come into the season wanting to accumulate a certain number of goals or assists, but she wanted to be a leader and help the team achieve its collective aim in any way possible. Pitt’s 4-0 start is tied with the 2006 team for best in school history.

“The team goals are to do very well in the Big East tournament and make it to the second round at least,” Habbel said. “That’s the minimum for us, because we feel we can definitely go far into the Big East tournament this year. Then, we definitely want to get an NCAA bid and make it to the NCAA Tournament.”