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Samantha Roth ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™20 says it feels like family being a part of the .

A forward majoring in business management, she says she was very proud when she found out the team had been recognized by the with a .

"As a student-athlete, this award means a lot to me because I believe it reflects who we are as a team and our strong mentality," she said. "We knew the only way to get results and to step off the field knowing we had given it our all was by playing our game with sportsmanship."

"The leadership and communication skills I have gained have made me a better student, teammate, and friend."Samantha Roth ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™20

The Chargers were one of only five teams in the country to receive the platinum award, which recognizes high school and collegiate soccer programs that exhibit fair play, good behavior, and adherence to the rules of the game.

, the teamÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™s head coach who is celebrating ten years at the University this academic year, says that as a coach, the honor reflects the student-athletesÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™ toughness and respect for the sport.

"This award highlights the type of students that the University of New Haven attracts," she said. "Our womenÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™s soccer student-athletes carry the responsibility of who they represent on campus, in the classroom, in the community, and on to the playing field."

Only about 100 teams across the country received Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Awards, which are presented at four levels. The platinum level recognizes teams ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ“ such as the Chargers ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ“ that played an entire season without a player or coach receiving a yellow or red card penalty. Teams recognized at the gold, silver, and bronze levels were honored based on a percentage calculated by the total number of cards players and coaches received divided by the total number of games played.

"I am very excited that the hard work we have put in as a team has been recognized," said Paige Davis ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™21, a goalkeeper majoring in biology. "I believe this award shows that Coach Duncan and the rest of the coaching staff teaches us to always show sportsmanship. They have instilled in us that hard work, respect, and dedication pay off."

The Chargers were the only team from the recognized at the platinum or gold levels.

For Roth, the teamÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™s second-leading scorer, the skills she developed as a member of the team have helped her reach her goals ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ“ on and off the field.

"I am grateful to be on this team ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ“ not only as an athlete, but, also, as a leader," she said. "The leadership and communication skills I have gained have made me a better student, teammate, and friend. These girls are my family, and I step onto the field not only representing the University, but my teammates as well."