It didn't take Sapir Edalati '15 long to adjust to playing at the college level.

The rookie midfielder scored her first collegiate goal in the women's soccer team's first game of the season, adding an insurance goal during the team's 2-0 defeat of Clark University last Thursday afternoon.

Edalati immediately acknowledged the fact that the stakes are higher at Brandeis than they were in high school, where players have a wide range of skills.

"College is more competitive," she said. "It's fun, but it's also more serious than high school. High school players have a range of skills, from people who have played their whole lives to people who are just picking up the sport. In college, everyone plays at a top level, so you have to play every game as hard as you can from start to finish."

Although being a rookie can be difficult, Edalati says that the squad has been welcoming for the first-year players.

"You have to really prove yourself to gain position on the team," she said. "It can be very intimidating. Most of the rookies are used to being the veterans on their high school and club teams, and now everyone is older than you. Usually, everyone looks up to you, but now you're looking up to everyone else. However, the team is like a family and everyone really tries to bond with everyone else. It isn't segregated. The coach doesn't want it that way. Everyone is together."

During the upcoming season, Edalati said that her goal is to improve her decision-making. She wants to learn as much as she can from the veterans because, as she put it, "they've had the experiences and I'm new at it."

She may still have plenty to learn, but Edalati has already proven that she'll be an asset to the team in the years to come.

—Jonathan Steinberg contributed reporting.