Palo Verde graduate Ashleigh Shoughro, who now plays for the UNLV women’s soccer team, adjust her shin-guards while practicing at the Peter Johann Memorial Field.
Friday, Sept. 26, 2008 | midnight
It was 17 minutes into the first game of UNLV women's soccer season when transfer Ashleigh Shoughro chipped in a shot over the goalie's head to give the Rebels a 1-0 lead against Loyola Marymount.
The game ended in a 1-1 tie, but the sophomore Shoughro showed she was an offensive threat.
"She proved off the bat she could score goals," UNLV coach Kat Mertz said. "We graduated our leading scorer and we had some good scoring threats, but (Shoughro) stepped up."
Shoughro was a star at Palo Verde, leading the Panthers to consecutive Clark County Championships in 2006 and 2007. Coming out of high school, the forward decided to play for the University of San Diego.
"I figured I'd try San Diego. I wanted to go out of state. The experience didn't work out and I came back," Shoughro. "It was hard to be away from my family. I was born and raised here."
While her time in San Diego didn't work out, Shoughro still found success. She had five goals and two assists to earn All-West Coast Conference Freshman team honors.
San Diego's loss has been UNLV's gain.
She's the Rebels leading scorer with four goals and one assist in the first eight games. She was named to the Soccer Buzz Elite Team of the Week on Aug. 27 after scoring a goal in each of the Rebels' first two games.
"It was good to hear, but I was a little shocked at first," Shoughro said. "It really motivates me, because I want to keep that title going."
Being a transfer and a sophomore, Shoughro was surprised to find out she was starting.
"I figured there were others in line and that I'd work my way in," Shoughro said.
Mertz, who had recruited Shoughro out of Palo Verde, was glad to get a second shot at landing the state's Gatorade player of the year in 2007.
"I knew who she was in high school, and I understood that she wanted to leave Las Vegas. So when I heard she was interested in transferring, I was excited to coach her," Mertz said.
The Rebels are out to defend their Mountain West Conference championship when the league schedule begins on Oct. 3 and Mertz thinks Shoughro is a key to defending that title.
Brent Hinckley can be reached at 948-2074 or [email protected].
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