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BY RYAN TICE F OURTH-YEAR MIDFIELDER Morgan Brian became just the fourth player in the history of women's college soccer to be named the nation's top player in back to back years by winning con‑ secutive Hermann Trophies, but she fell just shy of the ultimate goal — leading Virginia to a national championship. The Cavaliers lost 1‑0 to Florida State — which handed UVa all three of its defeats in 2014 — in the NCAA champion‑ ship game. She received a second chance to help lead her team to a title on a bigger stage — in fact, on the grandest one in the sport — and came through, helping the U.S. win the FIFA Women's World Cup this summer. Despite being the only collegian on the roster, she started down the stretch when it mattered the most. Neither accomplishment was easy, obviously. But what she did with the Cavs might have been her most impressive feat. During the fall, she bounced back and forth between the two squads — leaving her collegiate teammates for three separate stints to represent her country against the best in the world. Each time, she flawlessly worked her way back into the UVa lineup — a credit to both her and her teammates, according to head coach Steve Swanson. Players stepped up in her absence and welcomed her back with open arms when she returned. "I think most people close to our team would say she was obviously a critical factor in getting us to the final, even though she wasn't around for half the season," the coach explained. "We just got her back for the ACC Tournament and then when we got to the NCAA Tournament, she played some of the best soccer of her career." In the postseason, she proved why she was the best player in the country. She scored a goal and tied the NCAA Tournament record with five assists in the opener, notched the game‑winner against defending champion and No. 1 UCLA in the quarterfinals, and finished with more points (17) than any other player in the event. "I was playing with some of the best players in the world [on the U.S. Team] so I think it defi‑ nitely raised the level of my game," she said. "I think that our biggest, highest and most important FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AMERICAN GIRL Morgan Brian Won Another Hermann Trophy And Then Helped USA Win The World Cup