Abby Hess ’16 is in her third year playing for Blue soccer, enjoying five undefeated games and a 1-0 start in the NEWMAC as of Sept. 20.

Just weeks into the season, Hess has already scored several goals for the team, including one to tie  the Blue against Endicott 1-1 this past Saturday, as well as the winning goal to defeat Simmons 1-0 on Sept. 6. She has also assisted in several games.

The Wellesley News recently spoke to Hess about her experience so far as part of the team and her goals going forward.

Alice Liang (A.L.): What position do you play on the soccer team and why?

Abby Hess (A.H.): I play center forward. I play forward because it is a position that encourages passion and creativity. Obviously the instant gratification of a goal is an extremely exhilarating feeling. It is incredibly rewarding to know that if you work hard, you will be able to see the fruits of your labor. Most of all though, I love the freedom to be dynamic and creative as an attacking player. As a forward, one of your biggest responsibilities is to surprise and deceive the defending team. Often, the greatest way to do this is to be creative, work with your teammates and do it quickly. Playing forward is both exciting and rewarding.

A.L.: Why did you decide to play at Wellesley?

A.H.: I was a walk-on to the Wellesley team. The summer before I came to Wellesley, I realized how much I both love and need soccer. Soccer provides me with a daily structure, true friendship and makes me feel healthy. Most importantly, I love knowing when I wake up in the morning that if I give my all in practice or in a game, my day will be well spent. I love knowing that I get to represent the greatest second home I could have asked for. It is truly a joy to play with such talented and dedicated players and to play for Wellesley College.

A.L.: What is a typical practice like?

A.H.: A typical practice includes a dynamic warm-up including lunges, stretches or springs, some kind of technical training like passing, dribbing or defending, and scrimmaging and finishing.

A.L.: What is the soccer team dynamic like this year?

A.H.: More than ever, I feel like this soccer team is a family. Off the field, we love, admire and support one another to the greatest possible extent. On the field, I feel as if the Kanye song “Clique” can most adequately describe our team dynamic. We play as a family, and nobody messes with our clique.

A.L.: How do you prepare for a big game?

A.H.: I prep for a big game by listening to music, dancing and thinking of things that make me angry.

A.L.: How has the season been for you this fall?

A.H.: This season has been a great season for me. I feel extremely fortunate to have grown into a position where I can give back to a team that has already given me so much.

A.L.: What goals do you have for the rest of the season?

A.H.: As a forward my goal is to score goals and to keep working well with our amazing attacking lineup. As a teammate, my goals are to clinch a regional ranking and to win NEWMAC.

Hess and the team returned to the field against Brandeis on Tuesday, bringing Blue soccer to stand at 6-2-1 as of Sept. 23. Wellesley will next match Cedar Crest at home on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 1 p.m.