The Westminster College women's soccer team was in need of some firepower.

And that's just what the Titans got.

Mars High graduate Mallory Bugel has stepped in and given the team a shot in the arm from her striker position.

She currently leads the team in goals (17), points (42), shots on goal (23) and is the co-leader in assists (8).

In the last three games, the sophomore has tallied eight goals in wins over Presidents' Athletic Conference rivals Grove City, Bethany and Thiel. She is the most recent recipient of the PAC Women's Soccer Player of the Week award.

"Mallory is very competitive and she plays at such a high level," said Titans coach Girish Thakar. "And she's a very versatile player."

But the best thing about Bugel is that she doesn't concern herself with numbers and statistics.

"It really doesn't matter to me who is scoring the goals," said Bugel. "As long as we are getting the ball in the net, that's what matters."

It's that kind of attitude that served Bugel well last season as a freshman.

Following a career at Mars that ended with Bugel amassing a school-record 96 goals, her first season at Westminster was spent as a sweeper on defense - and she didn't mind it one bit.

"I played mostly defense on different club teams I've been on," she said. "I didn't mind it at all."

Bugel's play in the back was good enough for second-team all-conference honors in 2004 and helped the Titans to win the PAC for the third straight season and to reach the NCAA Division III playoffs with an at-large bid.

"Last year, her objective was to help us get shutouts," said Thakar. "And she proved to be one of the strongest players in the region.

"The champion of our conference does not yet get an automatic bid to the playoffs," added Thakar. "There were only three at-large bids given out and we were one of them."

After the team's offense was hit hard by graduation, Thakar said he felt he needed to move Bugel to the front.

"I actually played the first few games this season at midfield before moving on to striker," said Bugel.

The switch from defense to offense has had a lot to do with Westminster's 13-3 current overall record. The Titans are 8-1 against PAC foes.

"We're definitely looking to get back to NCAAs this year," said Bugel. "Nobody expected us to do much because we are such a young team. We start one junior and the rest are sophomores and freshmen."

Bugel attributes much of her skill to playing on boys club teams ever since she was in seventh grade.

"Playing against boys, the game is so much faster and quicker," she said. "That's the soccer I've enjoyed playing more than any other.

"I still play on a boys indoor team," she added. "That season runs from December through March."

Bugel is working on a dual major of biology and chemistry.

Another Mars graduate, freshman defender Mandy Bearrow, also is playing well for Westminster this season.

"We've had several kids from Mars come through our program," said Thakar. "We're always looking for the strongest players in Butler County, and Mars has a very strong program."