Thursday, September 15, 2005
Despite having to wait around after practice to be interviewed, junior defender Holly Gault smiled and shrugged her shoulders before the questions began.
“Oh, it’s not a big deal,” she said as she and teammate senior forward Caroline Smith ended their after-practice chatting.
As Gault made her way over to the sideline benches, the ice pack on her leg dripped down to her sock.
Unfazed, Gault smiled, ready to begin.
Gault is used to seeing family and familiar faces at the Jayhawks’ home matches.
“I love playing at home,” Gault said. “I’m a Kansas City kid, so I get to play in front of my family and people I know.”
A Spring Hill native, Gault helped lead the Jayhawks to a 2004 Big 12 championship. She said that the conference title was her favorite award.
“Obviously, winning the Big 12 was by far the best,” she said. “It took everyone on the team to win it. I was a little caught off-guard getting first team All-American. I just didn’t think I’d ever be there, but it was always my goal.”
In her two years as a Jayhawk, Gault has been named to the All-Central Region and the All-Big 12 team both years. She’s also received All-Big 12 tournament team honors.
KANSAN File photo
Junior defender Holly Gault tries to cut around Missouri State senior forward Dorothy Brown during a game earlier this season. Gault scored two goals in a loss to 15th-ranked Pepperdine over the weekend and will help the Jayhawks take on UC Irvine Friday at 5 p.m. at Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
“Holly’s obviously a great player,” said Kansas soccer coach Mark Francis. “She’s extremely dynamic and competitive. She always brings a lot to the field.”
Starting every game but one in the past two years, Gault has become the anchor of a dominant defense. Last season, the Jayhawks surrendered 13 goals all season, tying at ninth among the NCAA.
The 5-foot-6-inch defender compared the feat to a high-scoring football game in an effort to make non-soccer lovers understand. She said that even if a football team scored 50 points in a game, it would be for nothing if the opponent had scored 51.
“It’s so important when you’re not giving up goals, you’re going to win close games,” Gault said. “I don’t even know how to explain it. It’s so huge. We were able to hold teams to no goals and were able to win a lot of good games.”
The Kansas defense has allowed seven goals in six games this season.
Gault said she supported the Kansas team and never expressed frustration with her team’s defense this year. When asked if last year’s success could be attributable to the tandem of Gault and former goalkeeper Meghan Miller, Gault stuck by her teammates.
She said that not having Miller this season cuts down the team’s margin for error.
“Having an All-American back there makes a big difference,” Gault said. “But we have confidence in our goalkeepers now. It’s just making sure that they have confidence in themselves.”
She embraces her lead-by-example approach to the game and plays for her teammates while they play for her.
“I try to come out here with the attitude of this is what I love to do,” she said. “As long as I come out here and do everything I can — that’s all I got.”
Known throughout the Big 12 for her defensive expertise, Gault was just as excited as anyone last weekend when she scored both goals in the loss to Pepperdine.
“Hopefully I keep scoring, but I love playing defense,” Gault said. “It was just an extra bonus this weekend. It’s nice to kind of get into the act a little bit.”
Known as ‘Hollywood’ to her dad and ‘Holls’ to her teammates, Gault said she would not give less than herself to the sport that she loves.
“I love it more than anything right now,” she said. “I come out here and all my worries are gone. I don’t worry about school. I don’t worry about things going on at home. I just come out here and kick the ball around.”
— Edited by Tricia Masenthin
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