Junior forward and midfielder Ava Martin had an offensive explosion in the first four games for the GCSU Bobcats Women’s Soccer team, helping lead the team to a 3-1 start to the season and earning the honors of the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week.
Martin only played in six games the previous year due to a knee injury, and she was definitely hungry to get back on the field.
Martin showed off her dominance on the offensive side of the ball, tallying two goals and two assists during her performances against Middle Georgia State University and Valdosta State University.
After her impressive opening to the season, Martin was tied for sixth place in both points per game and assists per game in the Peach Belt Conference.
Martin did not play in the Bobcats’ first two games of the season, showing how quickly she can adjust to her environment. She then scored her first assists and goals of the year.
“She has brought grit and hard work to the team,” said Adriana Duque, a senior midfielder.
Martin seems to have adjusted to the harsh environment of women’s soccer in the Peach Belt Conference. The Bobcats have a difficult schedule in an already difficult conference, yet it does not seem to affect Martin.
“Ava’s intelligence on and off the ball has helped the team find goals in the back of the net,” Duque said.
Besides the physical aspect of the sport, awareness, as always, is essential. Martin’s teammates are confident in her ability to use that.
“I think the team as a whole has helped Ava have success up top with assists and goals by being able to find her in the final third,” said Morgan Amrozowicz, a senior midfielder.
After dealing with the injury from the prior season, Martin was looking for a bounce-back year, and the team surrounding her was searching for any way to help her achieve that goal.
The Bobcats have played well this year, outscoring their opponents 10-5 off of 63 shots in the first four games of the season. This shows how heavily they lean towards the offensive side of the sport. It seems like the team has no issue with relying on certain players, like Martin, to make big plays when the ball is sent her way.
