Former Pitman High Pride varsity soccer standout Marissa Marable is coming off an unforgettable season as a Sonoma State Seawolf on and off the pitch.

The 2012 Pitman graduate has been working her way into the starting lineup since her freshman year when she appeared in 15 games for a Sonoma team that clinched a berth in the NCAA Tournament that season.

Known for being a hard worker in the classroom as well, Marable ended her first year with a 4.0 grade-point-average and has carried a successful GPA heading into her fourth year at Sonoma, currently at 3.6.

Last season as a junior, Marable appeared in all 20 games for the Seawolves, with 19 starts as a right back for a team that made the CCAA semifinal game after accumulating a 7-4 league posting and 14-5-1 overall.

It was the first year that Marable was a full-time starter and she earned CCAA All-Academic honors for the second straight year, also notching three goals for her squad.

“We did really well,” she said about her junior year. “Every season we have  really competed in the league tourney and have made the final but we didn't make it this year since there were some ups and downs throughout the season.”

At first, the downs didn't seem evident for a team that managed to start the season winning 10 consecutive games, before losing in a double overtime contest against the Cal State Stanislaus Warriors, 4-3, in their first and only meeting of the year.

“We had some new girls in the back line,” said Marable. “But in the beginning we managed to get our chemistry down and it helped during the season by spending time off the field for study sessions.”

It helped for a team that allowed an average of one goal per game while scoring at least two per contest on the offensive side.

“We play very offensive, so I was usually running up the field crossing the ball up front, very defensive but also attack minded for the most part,” said Marable.

Marable is also a leader off the field, participating in multiple organizations including the Student Athlete Advisory Council.

“I am also a leader in the Christian group and I really enjoy doing all that I do,” she added. “When I first came I wasn't expecting for soccer, school and everything to be like full-time jobs and it was tough, but I put in the work on everything.”

Now in her final year of eligibility, the soon-to-be Kinesiology major is aiming high with the hopes of an even better season than last.

“I would really like to make an All-League team,” Marable added. “It doesn't matter if its honorable mention or whatever and I want to make the NCAA tourney and hopefully we can make the finals, which is the ultimate goal.”