Jlon Flippens loves pressure.
When the Maryland women’s soccer team hosted TCU to open the season, the freshman midfielder was excited to start her college career. She also looked forward to traveling to play William & Mary, a team that lost only one home game in 2015.
So as the Terps prepare to face Navy, winners of 11 contests a season ago, in Annapolis on Wednesday, Flippens’ outlook remains the same.
“I love playing against great teams,” Flippens said. “They kind of undermine your abilities, and I feel like that makes me a better player on the field.”
Flippens has played a prominent role at Maryland under first-year coach Ray Leone, and she’s done so while playing a new position.
When the Philadelphia native arrived in College Park, Leone was unsure how he would use Flippens, who helped William Penn Charter School win two league championships. Once the Terps were healthy, Leone told Flippens to play center back.
Flippens played on the backline with her club team but was asked to switch after ending her high school career with a school record 92 goals. Each time Leone or one of his assistants makes a point while watching film, Flippens adjusts.
She’s the type of player — versatile and competitive — that Leone enjoys having on his roster.
“She plays with vision, she uses both of her feet and is a solid defender with a great attacking sense,” Leone said. “If she was a baseball player, you might call her a five-tool player. We couldn’t be happier with her.”
While Leone has utilized several different lineups in each of Maryland’s first six games this season, Flippens has been a constant. She is one of only four Terps and the lone freshman to play all 580call minutes this season.
Flippens helped Maryland’s defense secure wins over William & Mary and Penn on the Terps’ most recent road trip. She also contributed to the backline’s success late against Gardner-Webb in a draw on Aug. 21.
The first-year coach was especially impressed with Flippens’ play against No. 21 Pepperdine on Friday.
“That’s a high level performance,” Leone said after Maryland’s 1-0 overtime loss to the Waves. “Not only is she defending and intercepting. She hit a few that could have been the back breaker that were just a bit off.”
For a team that features 14 new players and opened the first day of practice with name games, Flippens has emerged as a leader. While Leone said he wants to see her take “more vocal command of the backline,” Flippens makes her intentions clear during practices and matches.
“Most freshmen would be kind of hesitant to tell older people their thoughts and what they want,” midfielder Hope Gouterman said. “She has an air of confidence that I wish I had as a freshman. She’s vocal and that’s something we need as a center back.”
Flippens said playing alongside midfielders Madison Turner and Natasha Ntone-Kouo has given her confidence in her defense. Six games into her collegiate career, she has responded to the position change.
“[Being a center back] forces me to be a leader and talk,” Flippens said. “It shows my team trusts me back there. It’s definitely different, but I love it back there.”
