Freshmen Duo Shine Early for Troy Soccer

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TROY, Ala. - Freshmen Necee Jennings and Abby Reynolds came from different backgrounds, they played different styles of soccer, and they took different paths to get to Troy. Ultimately, however, their roads converged and together the pair is beginning to see the fruits of their hard work.

Jennings played prep soccer at Hillgrove High School in Powder Springs, Ga., a town of 13,000 just a stone's throw from Atlanta. Reynolds excelled in Gloucester, England and played at Bristol Academy.

Just eight matches into their college careers, both are proving they belong.

Jennings and Reynolds have scored three goals each and with the help of their teammates are feeling more comfortable by the day.

"I was really happy, it relieved a lot of pressure and allowed me to relax and just play," said Jennings of her emotions following the first goal of her career which came in the team's season opener against Alabama State. "I let it soak in a little when we kicked off after the score, after that I knew we had to just keep going, it was over."

Jennings said her mother was watching the game on the internet and was overcome with excitement.

"That was the first call I made. She started screaming and I started screaming, it was nice," she said.

Reynolds, who transferred to Troy from Park University in Kansas City, scored a pair of goals in the Trojans most recent 4-2 win over Murray State. The transition for the 20-year-old midfielder has been more of a cultural one than physical.

"It's always different switching teams and moving. It helps being on a team that is more about what's best for the team and not the individual," she said. "Coming over it's a different level of play, different speed. You find that play varies more here."

Reynolds took a redshirt at Park University as her coaches sifted through transfer requirements to make her eligible. She decided to transfer to Troy once her paperwork cleared and head coach Chris Bentley couldn't be happier.

"Both players are scoring important goals, not goals when we're ahead or behind but important goals," he said. "They are both learning and growing, it's a process but they are committed to getting the job done."

The biggest asset both players have, according to them, is each other.

"We come from different backgrounds, but we have the same goal. We work with each other and talk to each other because we want the same things," Reynolds said.

Bentley agrees.

"Our upperclassmen are doing a good job taking them under their wing, too. But, they are defining themselves as players outside of that," he said. "Their work rate off the field is incredible. With them, there is no quit."

Troy University Athletics

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