Although her Tar Heel team was fresh off a decisive victory over Virginia just minutes before, senior defender and recent World Cup veteran Cat Reddick had losing on her mind.
"I take losses harder than a lot of people do," Reddick said. "Every time I lose I'm bawling, and I never cry. I put my heart and soul into soccer and I want to see my teams succeed."
Playing for a North Carolina team that has won 17 NCAA championships in the past 25 years, Reddick is not used to losing. The Tar Heels have fallen short of the title these past two seasons, however, and the U.S. women's national team was upset by Germany in the semifinal of the tournament.
Despite the early exit in the World Cup, Reddick "had the greatest experience of her life" playing with a group of soccer legends whom she looked up to while growing up. Reddick was the youngest member of a squad that included a few members who had played in the 1991 World Cup when Reddick was still in elementary school.
"I think I'm closer to Joy Fawcett's older daughter than I am to her," Reddick said. "At first it was difficult, but you start to realize they are willing to accept you as a player as long as you prove that you can play with them."
Reddick didn't have much trouble proving she could play with the veterans. She made an appearance in all six games, playing 495 minutes and compiling 25 tackles. She returned to North Carolina after the U.S. team's 3-1 defeat of Canada in the third place match October 11.
With the Tar Heels undefeated and on top of the polls as the season wears down, Reddick seems to have a good shot at winning a title that has proved elusive since her freshman season.
"This is my last chance and I want to go out a winner if I can," Reddick said. "I can't really articulate it, because I want to win so bad. You can't accept losing. As many times as you may lose, you still hate it."
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