Georgia State women’s soccer striker, Yvonne Ploeg, who was born in Grootegast, the Netherlands, is in her first year with the program and has shown her scoring ability instantly. During the Panthers’ first exhibition match on Aug 12., Ploeg managed to score two goals for her team.
However, Ploeg is accustomed to scoring goals at her own will. In fact, scoring goals became a regularity for her at an early age.
“It started when I was really young,” Ploeg said. “I always played with the boys. I mean I was always playing soccer every single day, and yeah, what I was doing was scoring goals, and that was I really liked to do. I’m still doing it, and hopefully, I can score a lot of goals for Georgia State in the future.”
At times, Ploeg makes scoring goals look effortless. However, there is an art to being able to strike a ball past a stingy goalkeeper whose job is to prevent players like Ploeg from having a field day.
According to Ploeg, practice plays a great part in being a prolific scorer.
“A lot of practicing,” Ploeg said. “You have to practice on your finishing, you have to practice your free kicks. But I also think it’s instincts. You have to know where the ball is coming [from].”
During the 2016 season, in which she played for Lindsey Wilson College, Ploeg scored 12 goals and posted 49 shots with 30 on target for .612 shots on goal percentage, according to georgiastatesports.com. She also led the team in shots and tied for first in goals that year.
Besides the fact Ploeg can score with ease, she also has a knack for scoring goals in clutch situations. Ploeg currently has 11 game-winning goals in her career.
Ploeg credits her focus not just on scoring, but also playing the game freely.
“You have to focus on the game, and you don’t have to focus on I have to score goals,” Ploeg said in regards to remaining composed in tight situations. “If you’re doing that, then it’s not going to help. You just have to play the game.”
While Ploeg has made a name for herself at her previous university, she is confident that she can be an instant contributor to the Panthers offense. Once again, she didn’t hesitate to say that consistently working hard in practice will be the goal for her moving forward with this Panthers team.
“You have to work hard every single day in practice, and I think that you will be successful,” Ploeg said. “I think it’s all on your focus. I really hope to help my team, and that’s why I came to Georgia State, to play Division I, and I’d like to help my team with goals and assists.”
So with much enthusiasm and anticipation to score goals for her new team, there must be a celebration dance that Ploeg has been practicing, right?
Well, maybe not as animated as one can imagine.
“I’m always — just hands in the air — nothing special nothing crazy, just hands in the air.”
