NAMPA, Idaho – Madi Taylor had always been a midfielder, going back to when she first started playing soccer in kindergarten.

She liked the feeling of being a playmaker with the ball at her feet, creating for others.

But when the Northwest Nazarene University women's soccer team needed someone who could hold the ball up top, coach Mary Trigg asked Taylor last season if she'd be willing to switch to forward.

"She never complained about being in that position," Trigg said. "She just asked questions and wanted to get better at what I wanted her to do."

The Lewiston, Idaho, native's move has paid off. Taylor, who was named to the all Great Northwest Athletic Conference second team Wednesday, is tied for a team-leading seven goals with freshman Rikki Myers.

"I was a little uneasy at first," Taylor said, "just because I was wondering, 'Am I doing this right? Am I in the right position?' It became more natural. I kind of got those instincts – should you pass or should you shoot. That type of thing."

Taylor and her Nighthawks (11-6) teammates will play Concordia at 7 p.m. Thursday in the GNAC tournament semifinals in Portland, Ore. It is the first time in program history the team has made the postseason or had double digit victories.

A big part of that has been Taylor's play up top.

The 5-foot-4, pre-physical therapy major who is sporting a 3.97 GPA oozes confidence on the field and it rubs off on her teammates.

In the 3-1 loss to Western Washington, a team that at the time had won 38 consecutive matches and was the defending national champions, the Nighthawks seemed tentative in a tough first half that saw them trailing 2-0.

After halftime, though, Taylor scored just 20 seconds into the second half on a long chip shot over the goalie. It seemed to help the junior and her teammates realize they belonged on the same field as the No. 2 team in the nation.

"I think it gave the team confidence for sure," she said. "It made us realize that we are just as good, because Western Washington started to get worried."

While the Nighthawks ultimately lost that game, they carry confidence into Thursday's showdown with Concordia, a team they lost to 1-0 on a penalty kick.

"The only things we need to change are possessing in the midfield and getting more offensive opportunities," Taylor said. "I think we are more than capable of that."

For Taylor the switch from midfield to forward has been pretty smooth. Her coach gave her some things to work on in spring soccer and over the summer.

"I had to work on being able to dribble 1v1 and also just do the right runs," Taylor said. "As a midfielder, you have more ability to be creative, whereas a forward it is kind of limited."
Taylor has relied on her natural instinct and her work in practice to get better and so far it has worked out for her and NNU.

"She's definitely more comfortable this year," Trigg said. "I think she has just gotten more confident there the longer she was in there. Having people around her that can giver dangerous balls added to her success."

And with Taylor's success has come deserved success for the Nighthawks.