She stands at 5 feet 4 inches, but do not let her size fool you. Out on the soccer field she plays like a well-tested woman amongst girls.

Andrea Carpenter came to the Abilene Christian soccer team from a successful Amarillo High team. She is a senior All-American forward with nine goals and five assists in just seven games this season thus far.

Over the years, Carpenter has become well-known for her off-the-field demeanor toward her teammates.

“She has always put a lot of time into her friendships with the team, which is also why I think she works hard and uses her time to make the team better,” fellow teammate Jacey Ferrara said. “She always is someone we look to for leadership when it comes down to the wire in big games.”

Carpenter suffered from an injury last season, which gave her a different perspective on playing bigger than her stature shows. She plays knowing the girl across from her is going to be bigger, stronger and faster, so she works hard to give herself the best chance of beating the player marking her.

“My assistant coach my freshman year told me I needed to play bigger because I kept getting knocked off of the ball,” Carpenter said. “I know I am small, which gives the girl across from me the mindset that she can dribble all up and down the field, but that is what gives me that drive to compete against those girls.”

Carpenter may be underestimated heading into a game, but she makes her opponent respect her play as she zigzags down the field faster than anyone can follow. She plays with the, “I won’t be beat,” attitude.

Her teammates make fun of the smile she carries on the field while making defenders miss, which further contributes to her personality off the field.

“She is that girl who has a laugh you can hear from across a room,” Ferrara said. “She smiles to say she wants to continue having fun playing this sport she loves; I have a lot of respect for her in that.”

Carpenter has grown up playing soccer since she was four years old, not losing her love of the game she was born to play. She does not take her ability to play at the collegiate level for granted either.

“I’ve been given the opportunity to do what I love for as long as I see fit, and that in itself is how I know I was born to play this game,” Carpenter said.

Carpenter is respected as a teammate, friend and player. Through this, she shows her respect for the program and drive to make the it better for the years to come.

“I think that the most important thing about leaving a team is much more than our record; however, I do know sometimes that can leave a lasting impression for the underclassmen players,” Carpenter said. “With 12 freshmen, I feel like the things the seniors said to me when I was a freshman made a lasting impact on the past three years, and I know all the seniors leaving will leave the team with a good foundation to build on those memories.”

Carpenter said she will continue to play bigger, stronger and faster with a smile on her face until her last game dressed in the purple and white.