Notre Dame Getting Kicks as the Daws Legend Grows

In football-mad South Bend, Ind., the ultimate, if teasing, compliment was paid to soccer player Cindy Daws. Notre Dame football players compared her to one of their own.

“They called me ‘the Ron Powlus of women’s soccer,’ ” said Daws, a freshman from Louisville High.

Seems that Daws’ picture and soccer exploits were splashed so routinely across the student newspaper, the Observer, her friends on the football team were reminded of Powlus’ publicity blitz, if on a smaller scale.

Powlus, ranked by many as the nation’s top high school football player in 1992, came to Notre Dame this fall touted as the next great Fighting Irish quarterback, following in the footsteps of Joe Montana and Rick Mirer.

Powlus was slated to start from Day 1 and received a mountain of publicity. He hasn’t played a down for Notre Dame because of an injury suffered during preseason practice.

Daws journeyed from her home in Northridge to South Bend with significantly less fanfare, but her anonymity disappeared as the soccer season progressed. She quickly established herself as the team’s best player.

She was flattered but uncomfortable with so much attention and wished the school newspaper would stop making such a big deal about her.

She told her football-playing buddies to cool it with the Powlus jokes.

I’m no Ron Powlus, she insisted. True. For one thing, she played all season. And she played so well the Notre Dame sports information department posed the question, in giant letters, at the top of a recent media release:

“Who is the nation’s best freshman women’s soccer player?”

For those who had no idea, Daws’ picture was thoughtfully placed under the question, along with her name in headline-sized type.

A biased answer, sure, but perhaps a correct one. Daws had a freshman season that by anyone’s standards--even a Notre Dame football player’s--was spectacular.

She set a school single-season record by scoring 52 points and was named a first-team All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Assn. of America. She was the only freshman named to the first team and the first Notre Dame player so honored.

Daws also led Notre Dame to its first postseason appearance, its best record (19-3), and a No. 3 national ranking in the final regular-season poll.

“She had one of the best seasons a freshman has had in college soccer,” Coach Chris Petrucelli said. “You never expect a freshman to have that kind of impact.”

But this freshman midfielder did.

She scored a team-high 16 goals and had 20 assists, both Notre Dame freshman records. She also scored the winning goals in three matches, including the Midwestern Collegiate Conference tournament championship match against Xavier.

“I have always been an offensive player, but I didn’t really plan on (the records),” Daws said. “It just kind of happened.”

Petrucelli said Daws’ physical ability allowed her to adjust quickly to college soccer, but her leadership qualities set her apart.

“She’s probably the most popular kid on our team,” he said.

“Our team came together and a lot of that revolved around Cindy. The kids took to her and kind of followed her. That’s so rare to have that from a freshman.”

Also unusual was the offer presented to Daws by U.S. national team Coach Anson Dorrance, who also coaches NCAA champion North Carolina.

After Daws played superbly in a youth national team camp in Florida last month, Dorrance invited her to try out for the national team in January.

“That’s one of my dreams,” she said. “But I think I have a better chance years down the road. This is just to let (Dorrance) see how I compete with members of the national team.”

She probably will compete pretty well. Daws is nothing if not precocious and, according to Petrucelli, has a definite future at the sport’s elite level.

“I can see her becoming a four-time All-American,” he said.

“I can see her being nominated and competing for (college) player of the year honors. I see her having the opportunity to play for the national and Olympic team.”

Ron Powlus may not be in her league.

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Checking the fax: Daws wasn’t the only area player to blossom this year in the college soccer ranks. Stanford freshman Alyze Lowen, formerly of Harvard-Westlake and one of Daws’ best friends, enjoyed significant playing time for the Cardinal, which finished the season ranked second in the country.

Lowen played in 18 matches, starting in five, and had a goal and two assists. One of her assists sparked Stanford to a 3-1 overtime victory over Daws and Notre Dame on Oct. 1. “I felt like she was the difference,” Notre Dame’s Petrucelli said. . . .

Pepperdine’s Jennifer Evans, a freshman from Royal, led the Waves with 45 points on 20 goals and five assists. Pepperdine finished 13-4 in its inaugural season. . . .

Dartmouth sophomore David Moran (Harvard-Westlake) led the Big Green in scoring with 14 points on six goals and two assists.