The South Bend Tribune from South Bend, Indiana • 50

RECAP GETTING TO KNOW Cindy Daws By DAVE BARBULESCO Irish Sports Report 1 i Vi t. 1 (r the spring, Petrucelli and company were greeted by a welcome sight Daws running freely on the practice field primed for a big senior year. The foot seems to be OK, Daws said. There are some aches now and then, but I think its just an arthritic symptom. Im fine.

I'm very excited about this season. Daws knows the plan. Win another national championship. But she also has a personal goal this year. 1 want to see what I can do when I'm healthy," she said.

This isnt something I want to prove to anybody else. I just want to prove it to myself that I can play like I know I can play. I had a good freshman year, but I've grown quite a bit as a player. After two years of struggling, this is my year to go out and just worry about playing soccer The pain has finally subsided. FULL NAME: Cynthia Erin Daws.

BIRTHDATE Oct. 1, 1975. HOMETOWN: Northridge, Calif. MAJOR: Psychology. FAVORITE CLASS: Not having class.

HARDEST CLASS: Chemistry and calculus my freshman year, FAVORITE FOOD: My moms Swedish pancakes. FAVORITE BAND: TLC FAVORITE TV SHOW: New York Undercover. FAVORITE MOVIE: The Rock. FAVORITE BOOK: Dont have one. FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM: Chicago Bulls.

FAVORITE AWAY STADIUM: University of Portland. LEAST FAVORITE STADIUM: North Carolina. Theyre rude. FAVORITE SPOT OH room. BEST PUCE TO KARS OUT AROUND TOWN: No place.

MOST SXRIED PUYER ON TEAM: Jen Streiffer. ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE ME ON TIM FIELD; Controlled. ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE ME OFF THE HELD: Laid-back. BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE NOTRE DAME: A real experience. GREATEST PERSONAL ATHLETIC MOMENT! Scoring the game-winning goal to win the national championship.

MOST HKJMENT1 Dont have one. TO RELAX BEFORE GAMES Listen to As Cindy Daws watched her shot settle into the net, the pain finally subsided. The season was complete and thanks to Daws' alert goal in sudden death against Portland, the Notre Dame womens soccer team came home from Chapel Hill with the grand prize. Any reference to the Irish this season will contain a well-earned precursor defending national champion The trophy represented years of hard work spent building and rebuilding the program. Credit the Irish players.

They always believed. And especially credit head coach Chris Petrucelli, the architect of the dream. But for Daws, the journey symbolized more than just fulfilling a team promise made three years ago in preseason. The shot, the crown, all the attention, were a tribute to Daws survival skills. She joined the Irish heralded as one of the nation's elite and lived up to her billing with a solid freshman year as a key member in the Notre Dame midfield.

Then came the pain. I had surgery on the navicular in my left foot after my freshman year, Daws related. I was out for preseason but then played during the regular season. It turned out the bone never healed and I had played with it broken. During the offseason they did a bone graft and put in a new screw, so I was out again until the regular season began last year Daws struggled, unsure if the foot would ever mend, never knowing if she could get out of bed in the morning and be able to walk.

She admitted the ordeal began to wear her down. it wasnt just physical, it was really a mental fight, Daws said. The low point came when I actually rw considered being red-shirted for the year. I just didn't know if I could endure the pain. She did, with a lot of help from her teammates, and particularly with assistance from classmate Jen Renola.

There's no doubt that Jen is the leader on our team, Daws saidi She not only helped me get through some bad times, but she lifted the team up as well. 1 remember at one poinL right before a game against Georgetown, we were really playing bad. Jen got us straightened out She re-dedicated us to winning the national championship. This past offseason, Daws avoided the hospital corridors. Her foot was fine and when she reported in My grades.

NOBODY KNOWS HOW MUCH Love had a successful run recently. music. TO WHO DOWN AFTER GAMES Rest and watch TV. THE BEST THING ABOUT SOUTH BEXD IS: Notre Dame. TIM WORST THUS ABOUT SOUTH BEND IS: It's boring and the bad weather.

THE BEST THUS ABOUT PUTINS SOCCER AT NOTRE DAME IS: My teammates and winning. MY PARENTS WERE RIGHT WHEN THEY TOLD ME: Hard work pays off. THE BEST PUYER rVE EVER PUYED AGAJKST IS: Tisha Venturini when she was at North Carolina. PUTINS MAJOR COLLEGE SOCCER HARDER THAN IT SEEMS BECAUSE: It takes a lot of dedication, commitment and long hours. IM ALWAYS WORKING TO IMPROVE: music.

NOBODY IS BETTER THAN ME AT! Playing Tetris. ONE TTUSS I MISS ABOUT HOME: My moms home cooking. SUPERSTITIONS: I always tape bracelets the same way around my wrist for games because theyre from my mom and my sister. WHEN I WAS GROWING UP I ALWAYS THOUGHT I WOULD It A model or a movie star. I HAD THREE WISIMS THEY WOULD BE: Health, happiness and security.

BIGGEST FEAR: WIDEST DREAM: To move to Cancun and live a luxurious life with the man of my dreams. z. ftft 2f Preseason 1996 Irifk Spts Itofwt.