Meghan Smith

LATROBE — From team MVP to team wannabe.

Valencia resident Meghan Smith definitely experienced culture shock during her freshman soccer season at Saint Vincent College.

“I guess I was a big fish in a small pond,” she said of her prep career at St. Joseph High School. “We had just switched from a co-ed soccer program to a girls team my freshman year there.

“I was starting all the time and we reached the (WPIAL) playoffs that first season. It was exciting.”

St. Joseph also made the playoffs her senior year. Smith was a team captain and earned all-section honors.

Then she arrived at Saint Vincent, started only two games last season and scored but two goals.

“I went from being one of the best players on my team to one of the worst,” Smith said. “I found myself having to meet the bar instead of set the bar.

“It was tough. Looking back, I have to admit that, I was upset I wasn’t starting.”

Sixth-year Bearcats coach Becky Stewart knew she had a diamond in the rough regardless.

“I always knew she was a good player,” Stewart said. “All Meghan needed was a better attitude toward and understanding of our system. Her and I sat down for a one-on-one meeting after preseason this year and we got on the same page. I knew she dedicated herself all summer to improving her game.

“Hearing me expressing that I knew she had potential may have helped her confidence, I don’t know. But her game kicked in.”

This year, Smith led the Bearcats in scoring with five goals and 14 points. She made second team All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference at forward as Saint Vincent posted a 10-8-1 record.

“I had to figure out how to fit in,” Smith confessed. “There are players from our team from Quad-A schools, who came in here with much more experience, who were more used to a competitive atmosphere.

“My roommate came from North Allegheny, a huge school. It was just different.”

But Smith has proven she belongs.

“That was a big thing with her, that mental aspect,” Stewart said. “Her physical ability and skill set are definitely good.

“She can make things happen on the field. She creates enough distractions off the ball that she allows other players to get free.”

A psychology major sporting a 3.5 grade point average, Smith has become part of a second soccer resurgence. While she helped the St. Joseph program grow, she is helping Saint Vincent’s blossom.

The Bearcats were only 4-14-1 four years ago and have now posted consecutive winning seasons for the first time in program history. Saint Vincent was 11-7 last year.

All I want to do is continue to progress,” Smith said. “Making second team all-conference totally shocked me. I wasn’t expecting anything like that.

“Next year, I want to make first team, maybe become All-American my senior year. Hard work pays off. I’ve proven that to myself.”