Incoming freshmen to Eastern sometimes get the chance to play with fellow high school friends and sports teammates.

However, freshman defender Danielle Flynn counted more than her high school alumni on Eastern’s soccer team this year – she got to meet some of the girls she played against for four years in high school.

Flynn said it was a neat experience to come from high school and play with some of the same girls she once played against.

“It’s like, ‘Hey, I know you,'” Flynn said. “It was just a few more faces that I sort of recognized going into it, so it wasn’t totally new.”

Flynn had another, even more familiar face on the soccer team this year, with fellow high school teammate and goal keeper Kaylin Lorbert coming to Eastern as well.

Lorbert also played on a club team with sophomore midfielder Alexis Miller before coming to Eastern.

Flynn, Lorbert and Miller are all from Missouri and are three of the four out-of-state women on the team.

Head coach Tim Nowak said that with the players coming from out of state, having those connections and familiar faces helped them with the transition.

Another thing that helped is that Lorbert and Flynn came from St. Joseph’s High School in Missouri, which Nowak said is one of the best high school programs in the country.

“Coming from St. Joseph’s, I knew these girls would be hardworking and that their intense training would help them fit into our team and help us be successful as a whole,” Nowak said. “It was very beneficial that they came in physically prepared, right off the bat from playing at those high levels before.”

Lorbert decided in early September that she would be coming to Eastern the next fall and Flynn decided later on that winter.

“It was nice to know she (Lorbert) was going here too, but that wasn’t what I based my decision on,” Flynn said.

Flynn said before deciding on Eastern she looked at schools like Missouri State and the University of Missouri because they were closer to home.

“I was really open to anywhere, but I just wanted to know that I was in the right place and that is what I found at Eastern,” Flynn said. “The whole team is really close already after only being here like a week.”

Flynn was not able to play in the exhibition match this past weekend due to an Achilles injury.

Nowak said that Flynn is right now working to overcome the injury and is improving.

Lorbert came in after halftime at Butler and blocked eight shots on goal in 45 minutes.

Nowak said the freshmen are already making an impact on the team with their work ethic and attitudes.