No Penn State women's soccer player had tallied three assists in a game since Melissa Hayes did it two years ago.
Against Purdue, a freshman did it.
It was just one game in the course of a freshman season where Christine Nairn took over college soccer.
"She's been absolutely huge for us. She's been the best center midfielder that I've ever played with," senior forward Katie Schoepfer said. "Even though I only get to play with her for one season, I'm so happy that I get to because it's just fun to watch her play. Even when the ball isn't coming to me, I watch it happen and its amazing to see what she can do."
Nairn, the attacking center-midfielder for the Nittany Lions, tallied seven goals and led the Big Ten with ten assists. When the team switched offensive formations in September and again at the end of October, it was done to give Nairn space to orchestrate the attack.
Former Lion forward Christie Welsh came back for the team's match against Northwestern, but had already seen Nairn's capabilities. While Welsh was playing with the Washington Freedom last summer, Nairn, a native of Bowie, Md., came to a few practices, and Welsh saw Nairn's potential to become a national player of the year like she was in 2001.
"She's already out there spreading balls left and right. They're going to need her to be that dominant player, that one that takes charge and keeps the possession and dictates the flow of the game," Welsh said. "It's going to be her role, and she's only going to get better. There's probably balls in there right now she's losing that next year or the year after she's not gonna lose. She's only going to get smarter as she goes."
Nairn is off to a good start, winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year and being named First Team All-Big Ten as a unanimous selection.
The freshman has adjusted to the college game, but noticed a difference between the Big Ten and the national circuit. Nairn played with the U.S. women's senior national team this summer, scoring the game-winner in a 1-0 exhibition against Canada in July.
The midfielder said college is a much more physical game, where the national team is more finesse oriented and said that has been the biggest transition. Senior midfielder Nikki Watts, who has received dozens of passes on the wing from Nairn, said the freshman quickly got over the change in style.
"I think she found it a little different like every freshman does," Watts said. "But within the last couple months, she's really stepped it up and everything that we do goes through Christine, so that just shows her ability."
Assistant coach Ann Cook, who has been working with Narin and the team's forwards, said the key to Nairn's success has been making sure she is confident on the field. Cook said as well as Nairn has done so far, the freshman has another level the coaches know will show itself in time.
Despite being named Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice, Nairn is a team-first player, and while her parents are quick to congratulate her, she doesn't pay much attention to the awards. While she has been given total freedom in the offense, Nairn is quick to credit her teammates for allowing her to play her game.
"The people sitting behind me, Vegas [Ali Schaefer], Maddy [Evans], Mel [Hayes] and Carly [Niness] have all done a great job with allowing me to get forward and not having to worry about the other team getting behind us," Nairn said. "Just having them behind me gives me a lot of confidence and allows me to get forward."
While Nairn admits she is a quiet person and prefers to lead more by example, she will be vocal on the field. Head coach Erica Walsh said when Nairn talks, the other players listen, and the freshman has had to realize her teammates look to her despite her age.
In the beginning of the season, the team struggled trying to find consistency, and the players weren't quite sure how to use Nairn. However, Walsh said by getting the freshman more touches, the team has learned how to play off what Nairn does with the ball.
"She's pulling the strings for us right now," Walsh said. "She just seems to be getting better and better and the more comfortable she gets, the more confident she gets. We're getting a chance to see her class, and I think this team is really starting to play better with her."
If there's one area the coaches would like to see Nairn step up, it's on the defensive end. Cook said Nairn is a strong player on both sides of the ball, and it's just up to the freshman to stay committed to defense.
Coming into Penn State with so much experience, Nairn has been unaffected by the pressure of leading the offense, Watts said. And while she scored the game winner at Indiana and then assisted three-quarters of the team's scoring against Purdue, Nairn simply wants to keep the winning tradition of Penn State going.
"I'm proud of it. Don't get me wrong, but if people can continue to do it, that would be great," Nairn said. "Mel did it two years ago, and I hope somebody else does it even sooner than that so we can keep winning and keep putting the trophies up."
