Story and Photos by Art Petrosemolo
As she sat down to talk about a long, successful soccer career, Claire Donohue said she was not teary-eyed – at least not yet.
The 21-year Red Bank native has been playing soccer since she was 6 and on a travel team at age 9. Then, there was soccer at Red Bank Charter School and a stellar career at Red Bank Regional High School before four years at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s College at Florham in Madison.
Now the end is just over the horizon.
Donohue played her last regular season game Nov. 2, scoring her 11th goal of the season in a 3-1 win over Eastern College in St. David’s, Pa. The win qualified the squad for a spot in the Middle Atlantic Conference tournament semifinals on Nov. 5, but they lost to Misericordia; not the way Donohue wanted to end her college soccer career.
A player who is offense–minded, Donohue scored more than a dozen times during her senior season at FDU and was credited with countless assists from the midfield slot. She can play attack or midfield and is known for being able to score from anywhere.
Donohue only remembers playing defense one season in her 15 years of organized soccer when her RBR squad needed a sweeper.
Donohue’s college coach Kristin Giotta , who played college soccer at Monmouth University, can’t say enough about her senior attacker.
“Claire has been a big part of our success the past four years,” Giotta says. “She makes an immediate impact almost every time she steps on the field. Her hard work and ability to score from anywhere on the field are what sets her apart from other players in this conference.”
Giotta feels Donohue is a legitimate candidate for postseason MAC honors.
“Her current point production this season has made her a top candidate for a conference player of the year nominee,” Giotta said with a smile. “She has earned her spots in the FDU record books and her talent will sorely be missed.”
Donohue, who saw some action in every FDU game her freshman year in 2010, has been a starter and prolific scorer ever since. She played her high school soccer for Giotta’s Monmouth teammate Lucy Slosek Chesley and was the squad’s captain and leading scorer.
Donohue came to FDU’s College at Florham for a visit her high school senior year to see a former teammate play. “I loved the campus,” she remembers, “and the atmosphere and I was hooked.”
She has enjoyed every minute of her time on campus and the bond she has formed with her soccer teammates.
It all started for Donohue in the Red Bank recreational soccer program at age 6 when playing soccer for girls was gaining popularity. At 9, she went with her mom to see her brother Liam try out for a Middletown youth travel team. “Suddenly my mom says, ‘why don’t you tryout too,’” Donohue said. “I was wearing jeans, which didn’t make it easy, but I made the squad and played with the team for several years.”
Donohue attended Red Bank Charter School for grades 6-8 before attending Red Bank Regional.
Donohue has played in hundreds of organized games and leaves the field with many fond memories. She scored three or four goals in games a number of times at RBR and three times twice against Lycoming and once against Wilkes in her FDU career.
One of her most memorable games, however, was a loss.
“It was my freshman season,” she says, “ and we made it to the finals of the MAC tournament and lost to Manhattanville by one goal in a very close game.”
Although the season is over, Donohue’s soccer career may not be. She spent the spring semester of her junior year at the University’s Wroxton College in England. “I absolutely loved it,” she says. “It is a special place and in many ways life changing.”
Donohue liked it so much, she is exploring the possibility of moving to England after graduation with the chance of continuing her career in a small, professional women’s league while working in a field related to her communications major.
“No regrets,” Donohue says, almost misty-eyed. “It could not have played out any better and maybe, just maybe, it isn’t over yet.”
