It was an announcement over the P.A. speakers that triggered thoughts of “we can do this” in the head of NIU women’s soccer player Karen Enockson.

The NIU women’s soccer team had just beaten Western Michigan and was headed to the MAC Tournament. To the chagrin of the junior forward, all the chips appeared to have fallen into place; the Huskies were hot and were a No. 7 seed.

“We basically had four straight weeks of playoffs,” Enockson said when asked to choose a season-defining moment. “We had to win to get into the tournament; we were nervous and excited the entire time.”

An inexperienced group that stumbled out of the gate relied heavily on the offensive prowess of Enockson early in the season.

As the season progressed, the group matured and Enockson adapted her game to fit the new form and identity of the team.

“Karen really molded herself into whatever role the team needed,” assistant coach Paul Jobson said. “She is an impact player. The hard work she put in last summer was evident with the fall she had for us.”

A leader on the field and in the classroom, where the St. Charles native is on the Academic All-MAC team, sporting a 3.9 GPA. Simply put, Jobson said Enockson typifies what being a captain is all about.

The Three Musketeers refrain of all for one and one for all resonates in the words Enockson uses to describe her style of play and her mindset when approaching a soccer game.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to make the team better,” Enockson said. “I try to go out and be as unselfish as possible; that is one of the things that the coaches have really imparted on me, that I can go out and make everyone else better by getting everyone involved.”

With nine goals, four assists, two game-winning goals, and the second most points in the MAC with 22, one would think 2006 would be a perfect 10.

“I would rate my year about nine and a half,” Enockson said. “At the start of the year, it was hard to mesh with so many new players, but we peaked toward the end of the year.”

NIU fell to Toledo 2-1 in the MAC Championship game, but after winning five of eight spring games and taking home the Illinois Cup with a 1-0 win over Northwestern, NIU coach Marci Miller will count on an experienced corps of players that look primed for a deep run in the fall.