She plays with the enthusiasm and energy of a freshman.

University of Maine-Farmington striker Heidi Parker sprints up and down the field making life miserable for opposing defenders.

She is highly skilled and quick and exhibits good instincts.

Parker may be a freshman but she isn’t your typical freshman.

She is a 26-year-old mother of two who is juggling motherhood, school and soccer.

“It has been a great learning experience. I’m having fun. This is the first time I’ve ever been on a winning team,” said Parker after her 17-3-1 Beavers beat Husson 1-0 in overtime in their NCAA Division III tournament game Wednesday.

Parker puts her 6-year-old daughter Sierra on the school bus in the morning and is usually home by 6:00 to have dinner with Sierra, 4-year-old son Donovan and her husband, Rob, a State Police detective.

The 1995 graduate of Anson’s Carrabec High School had spent the previous five falls coaching varsity girls soccer at Carrabec and Madison High School.

“We had a couple of rough seasons at Madison,” said Parker who began thinking about going to college last fall.

She said her husband was supportive of her decision which included playing soccer for UMF.

“I had no idea what to expect. I’ve learned a lot from coach [Bob] Leib. He has put me in my place,” grinned the youthful-looking Parker who is called “Mom” by her teammates.

She said school has been “great. I really enjoy my classes.”

She intends to major in education.

Parker also said her mother, Cindy Dunphy, has been very helpful in taking care of the children when her husband is working and she is in class or on the soccer field.

Husson had productive season

Although Husson was eliminated by UMF on Wednesday, sixth-year coach Keith Bosley felt his Braves had a “season of progress” en route to a 12-6-3 record that included an 0-3 start.

“We keep going a little further,” said Bosley whose Braves were without two of their strikers due to season-ending knee surgery: 2001 Maine Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year Melissa Achorn of Bangor and freshman speedster Jessie Wiggin of Hermon.

Achorn, who scored more than 20 goals two years ago, played just 30 minutes this season and Wiggin never played a minute.

In addition, sophomore Deidra Ham from Lee had limited mobility late in the season due to tendinitis in her knee and, as a result, was moved from striker to flank midfielder. Speedy sophomore striker May Chan of Ellsworth suffered a knee injury two games ago and played just 10 minutes on Wednesday.

“Players who were going to be the first ones coming in off the bench were forced to start,” said Bosley. “But I have no complaints. The kids gave us a terrific effort.”

“We had a very good season,” said senior midfielder and tri-captain Kristin Pelletier.

They will graduate just three starters: midfielders Pelletier and Janie Michaud and center back Samantha Scott.

The other starters were juniors Beatriz Ycaza, a striker and the team’s leading scorer with 34 points, and steady sweeper Kerry Tuck; sophomore defenders Kelly McHatten and Autumn Tuttle and striker-midfielder Ham and freshmen Leah Drew (goalkeeper), Kaylin Caron (striker) and Shaina Goode (midfielder).

Bowdoin FH players honored

Bowdoin College of Brunswick swept the New England Small College Athletic Conference field hockey awards, led by Player of the Year Marissa O’Neil.

Taryn King was named the Rookie of the Year, while Nicky Pearson took Coach of the Year honors. The Polar Bears went 13-3, good for second place in the conference.

O’Neil set a Bowdoin record with 17 assists and tied the single-season goals mark with 19. Teammates Amanda Burrage and Gillian McDonald also were first-team picks.

King, who earned a spot on the second team, scored four goals and notched seven assists and was a dominant force in the midfield.

Pearson was chosen the top coach for the third time in four seasons. She also won in 2000 and ’02.

MMA women’s soccer honored

Amy Asselin, Jessie Taylor, Ashley Douglass and coach Craig Dagan of the Maine Maritime Academy women’s soccer team were honored recently by the North Atlantic Conference.

Asselin, a sophomore striker from Auburn, was named to the All-NAC first team for the second straight season. She scored 13 goals and provided nine assists for the Mariners.

Dagan earned NAC Coach of the Year honors after guiding MMA of Castine to an 8-6-1 record.

Taylor, a freshman from Bucksport, was a second-team choice after setting the school record with 16 goals this fall.

Ashley Douglass of Bath was an honorable mention as a defender.

Knights paces MMA volleyball

Julia Knights of Brookton was selected recently as the North Atlantic Conference volleyball Rookie of the Year.

The sophomore, a former Woodland standout, also earned first-team recognition after averaging 2.96 kills per game with a hitting percentage of .436.

Sophomore Katie Clapham of Crawford made the All-NAC second team after leading the league in blocks and averaging 1.28 aces per game, which ranks sixth in NCAA Division III.

The first-year MMA program, under coach Katrina Dagan, posted a 9-8 record, losing to Husson in the first round of the NAC playoffs.