Consistent.
That's the best adjective that ASU women's soccer coach, Kevin Boyd, can use to describe sophomore defender Liz Harkin.
"She has very much a sound, blue collar work ethic," he said. "She does the same thing every day, it doesn't vary and it doesn't change. She makes sure she understands what her basic job duties are and she does those duties as well as she can."
Harkin worked toward that consistency over the summer by training hard and said she is happy she is getting positive results and feedback so far and hopes it continues throughout the rest of the season.
"I was just trying to get better every day technically and I was lifting a lot," she said. "I would like to think that paid off but we'll see. There's a lot left to go, it's only been a few weeks in the season so hopefully I can keep at the pace I'm at."
Harkin said that she tries to be a general on the field from the center back position.
"I'm just trying to keep the play predictable and organized and hopefully I can do that throughout the season as our moments through Pac-10 [play] get more intense."
Harkin also said that Boyd has also helped her elevate her game.
"He's just been a great tool to learn from to really break down the game," she said. "I haven't had a coach like that so I'm just trying to keep up with him and what he's teaching us every day."
Harkin comes from an athletic family as five members, including her father, played college lacrosse at the Division I level. However, Harkin never got into the sport because it was not as developed in her home state of California.
"It wasn't really around when I was a kid so that's unfortunate, but I still love the sport and obviously my family will always love it too," she said.
Instead, Harkin began playing soccer at the age of four and played on club teams and her team at Granite Bay High School before being recruited by ASU.
Harkin said that academics lured her to Tempe just as much as athletics as she is currently a member of the Barrett Honors College.
"I'm a big supporter of [the Barrett Honors College's] mission for their University and their school within the University," she said.
While balancing the school workload of an honors college student and the practice and game schedule of a Division I athlete can be difficult at times, but Harkin said it is not impossible.
"There is some late night studying, but it's all doable if you time manage," she said.
On the soccer field, Harkin started every game at multiple different positions last season as a freshman and recorded one assist.
"I was just really fortunate to get minutes," she said. "We had a really good squad and I just kept trying to work through every practice. I was just lucky to get on the field and I'm just trying to build from there this year."
This season, Harkin has started in all six matches for the Sun Devils.
Harkin said that every day she gets to step on the field is a highlight of her soccer career.
"When we're playing there are so many highlights," she said. "[There are] so many awesome shots, awesome moves and funny stories we get to share every day as we're on the field and off the field. It's really just being a part of a team and such a great group of girls that's the best part."
There are still improvements that Harkin wants to make to her game, including getting better at recognizing different situations that another team may throw at the Sun Devils and also refining her individual skills.
Off the field, Harkin said one of her quirks is she loves to cook a good American meal of steak and potatoes.
"My roommates will make fun of me because I'll bust out a meal at the end of the night," she said.
After graduating from ASU, Harkin wants to put that Barrett Honors College education and biology/pre-med degree to good use and to be a physician's assistant or go to medical school and specialize in orthopedics or emergency room medicine.
For the rest of her soccer career, Harkin said she wants to continue to play hard and help her team reach its goals in any way she can.
Boyd also expects the consistency to continue and for her to make a huge impact throughout the rest of her career.
"My hope is that she'll continue to develop in her position and in our team and end up being someone who's not only consistent and helps us, but impacts the field in a significant manner where when we play teams they go 'you gotta worry about this player,'" he said. "She should be that in a couple years."
Reach the reporter at: gina.mizell@asu.edu.
