Rodriguez puts cap on tremendous 2015

by Travis Clark

December 9, 2015

What a year it’s been for Penn State midfielder Raquel Rodriguez.

The Costa Rican’s decision to come to State College four years ago will forever leave its mark on the Nittany Lion powerhouse after scoring the winner in Sunday’s national title game.

But her strike wasn’t the only significant goal scored by Rodriguez in 2015. She bagged the first goal in Costa Rica’s World Cup history during this summer’s tournament in a 1-1 draw against Spain.

“I think that every goal is special and those two you just cannot compare either of them,” she said after Sunday’s final. “But I can tell you this is everything I was dreaming for, to score in the final, and it is the most important thing right now. The World Cup was great but right now was all I was thinking of and I could not be more happy or grateful. It is another dream come true.”

Welcomed into the Penn State soccer family back in 2012, Rodriguez enjoyed an excellent freshman campaign named the Big Ten Freshamn of the Year after immediately slotting into the starting lineup. She capped it off with a start in the national title game that year, a 4-1 loss at the hands of North Carolina.

What a difference three years makes.

Forming a tremendous partnership in central midfield alongside U.S. youth international Emily Ogle, Rodriguez showcased an all-around game matched by few in the college game this season. Tenacious in defense, patient in possession, and able to break out of just about any level of pressure, Rodriguez’s contributions to Penn State in 2015 goes far beyond goals and assists. The midfield duo of Ogle and Rodriguez played a huge role in pushing the program to its new benchmark

“Not only is their chemistry with their play, when we’re walking off to water breaks the two are off having conversations, little conversations after every play. It’s constant,” Penn State head coach Erica Walsh said. “It’s after every moment, they’re constantly trying to make each other better, figuring out ways to combine better, defend better, they’re a team, they’re a unit. You talk a lot about the unit of our back line, but the midfield three [including Nickolette Driesse] found a chemistry that have made them really special, and they celebrate each other’s successes as well.”

Watching Friday night’s national semifinal against Rutgers showcased the Ogle-Rodriguez partnership at its finest. Passing and moving in possession, switching between markers during the run of play, and pressuring Rutgers while not on the ball demonstrated how effective the pair could be. Rodriguez in particular demonstrated a knack to either pass or dribble out of pressure, often surrounded by two or three Scarlet Knight defenders.

Then of course, Sunday’s final permanently elevated Rodriguez into Penn State lore, after she was able to collect Mallory Weber’s cross, turn Duke defender Morgan Reid and lash a shot past EJ Proctor.

Rodriguez said she was partially motivated by memories of that defeat in the 2012 title match.

“During the game I was thinking about that first game actually and all I could think of was I don’t want that to happen again,” she said. “Not today and we still had the opportunity to fight for it and all I could think of was that. I think it fueled us and it was just in the back of my mind.”

Everything that she’s contributed to the team on the field as a player, Rodriguez’s journey to State College challenges the rest of the program off the pitch.

“Watching student athletes come from overseas to an environment that’s so different from home, seeing the courage that they bring, and obviously they are embraced by their new family, but allowing us to bring her into this environment, trusting us, her family trusting us having never met us before, she inspires me,” Walsh said. “[German forward] Alina [Ortega-Jurado] inspires me. Inspires me to do things – inspires all of us – to do things that maybe we are a little scared to do. She packed her bags and moved to another country, moved to a small town. Didn’t know where she was going or what she was doing, but something inside of her told her it was right thing, and I thank God that she did because she’s been a blessing in all of our lives.”

The year she’s had for college and country is matched by very few in the college game, either on the men’s or women’s side. And while it’s obviously a lot to process, Rodriguez knows that it comes with a chance to continue promoting the women’s game in her home country.

“This year personally has been amazing,” she said. “I would never imagine it would be this cool. I always understand that as a women’s soccer player from Costa Rica there’s a certain responsibility and I hope that with this and the opportunity to speak with the media, to keep the game growing. I know that it’s still going in Costa Rica, I think there’s a lot of talent, but there’s not much awareness. So I really hope to be that advocate and to contribute to change at home, and in general with women’s soccer.”

For a player of her quality, a professional career surely beckons. The question becomes: does she stay in the United States and play in the NWSL or head abroad?

Wherever she ends up, don’t be surprised to see if this year is just the beginning of a storied career.

Related Topics: Big Ten