Leah Payne AUSTIN- University of Texas sophomore Leah Payne doesn’t let much get to her. Even battling through the coldest soccer match of the year, Payne produced a powerful performance in the Horns’ in a recent 2-1 victory over the Loyola University Chicago Ramblers. Payne claimed her position as a team leader, playing tough defense, skillfully taking the team’s set pieces, and scoring her second goal for the season.

The defender has morphed into one of the team’s more versatile and reliable players as she is one of four Longhorns to start in all 13 of UT’s matches this season. Payne, who only played in 16 games during her freshman campaign, had to step into a starting role immediately this season and help junior co-captain Erica Campanelli organize a completely new backline. Along with her responsibilities on Texas’ side of the field, Payne has also been given the task of taking the Longhorns set pieces along with coming up the field to fill the box when Texas has a corner kick. It was on one of these corner kicks that Payne netted the second goal and game winner of her career Friday night. Payne and the Longhorns are fifth in the league.