By Bill Sheehan
Maddie Kline took a road trip to Utah this month that most soccer players could only dream about.
The senior midfielder scored in the 90th minute to give the Cal State Fullerton women's soccer team a 1-0 win over the University of Utah. Three days later, her goal in the 63rd minute proved to be the difference in a 2-1 victory at Southern Utah University in Cedar City.
What a ball by Yago and @maddiekline19 is able to calmly finish it off for the goal!!#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/gHQaOqemvG
— Titans Women's Soccer (@FullertonWSOC) September 2, 2022
Kline, who has a team-high seven points (two goals, three assists), said her score against Utah with seconds remaining is something she will never forget.
"Salt Lake City's high elevation had really been hitting me. I was playing as a holding midfielder – a defensive position. But it was the last minute of the game, and I decided to just make the run forward. I figured if worse comes to worse, I won't get the ball and we end in a tie.
"The ball popped out to me, and I thought, 'Oh my God, this is my time.' At first, I thought I shanked it, but then I saw it went in. When I turned around, there was a storm of white uniforms coming at me."
She made a beeline to the Titans bench, flying past some of her teammates on the field. "I just wanted all of us to be together at that moment. I think the celebration was more fun than the goal," she said.
The Titans, who are 3-2-3, will face the University of San Francisco (4-1-3) on Saturday in their final non-conference game. Kickoff is at 5 p.m. at Titan Stadium. It is Senior Appreciation Night, and Kline and 11 fellow seniors will be honored in a pre-game ceremony.
An Orange County native, Kline spent two years competing for North Carolina State before transferring to Fullerton in fall 2020. With the Covid-19 pandemic cancelling the 2020 season, she finally got on field a year ago, starting in 15 of 20 games.
The 5-foot-6 Kline has elevated her game as a senior, said Titans women's soccer head coach Demian Brown.
"She had a transition when she arrived here, like everyone does. Maddie has a good soccer IQ, and by the end of last fall she was playing at her best. She had a great spring, and that has carried over to this season," he said.
Brown, who is in his 16th season leading the Titans, praised Kline's field vision, ability to maintain position and passing skills. "In the past, she would defer to other players. We've stressed to her the importance attacking and that she has goals in her. And she showed that in Utah."
Kline's father Kurt, who coached one of her youth teams, agreed. "Her coaches have been wanting her to push the ball up, looking for the right pass and taking more chances. She's been a more aggressive shot-maker this year.
Maddie Kline, age 9, on a youth soccer team. She later played for several soccer clubs, including Strikers FC and Legends FC.
"In the past, she had the team hierarchy in her mind and deferred to the seniors. Now that she is older, she is trying to be a leader," said Kurt about his daughter, who played last summer as an amateur on FC Malaga, a semi-professional team in Spain.
Kaytlin Brinkman, a teammate and senior from Antioch, calls Kline a huge asset for the team. "Maddie is one of the most technical players on the team. Her on-field awareness is amazing. And being a transfer from another top conference as well as playing in Europe, she provides the team with such great soccer knowledge and a great understanding of the game."
"She also brings her great personality and humility" said Brinkman, who is a sociology major with a minor in criminal justice. "Maddie always makes sure everyone is happy and comfortable. She always makes me as well as our team laugh and carries herself very humbly, even after she scores game-winning goals."
The Titans will be in a strong position when they begin Big West Conference play later this month, Kline said. She cited Fullerton's tough pre-conference schedule, which included matches against BYU and UCLA, two teams ranked in the top five nationally.
"We're being challenged every game and been the underdog a lot, which has pushed us harder. Compared to last year, we've had a stronger start mentally and physically, and our bench is deeper.
"Demian's messages about hard work and discipline have found an audience. His formations really complement our players, and often expose other teams' weaknesses."
Kline's transfer to Fullerton was a homecoming. Born in Fullerton and raised in Yorba Linda, she attended Esperanza High School in Anaheim where she was a four-year starter. Previously, she had played for several elite soccer clubs, including Strikers FC in Irvine and Norco-based Legends FC.
At Esperanza High School in Anaheim, Kline was a four-time all-conference selection and led the team to a conference championship her senior year.
John King, who is in his 21st year as the Esperanza women's soccer team, said Kline stood out quickly at the school. "She made the varsity as a freshman, and by the end of that season she was a full-time starter. As a sophomore, she assumed a leadership role and became one of our impactful players.
"She was a fun kid to be around. Maddie will always find a way to make you smile and laugh," King said.
Kline, whose given name is Madison, was a four-time all-conference selection and helped lead Esperanza to four consecutive state tournament appearances as well as a conference championship her senior year.
North Carolina State was one of the first colleges to reach out to Kline. The school's coaches had first seen her play in a club tournament in the Tar Heel State, and they later made trips to California to scout her while showing strong interest.
"I always wanted to leave California for college. They made a generous offer, and I felt this was my opportunity, said Kline.
As a freshman, she played in 20 matches, making four starts. But Kline's playing time was reduced in her sophomore year; she appeared in just three matches.
"I played with a lot of seniors during my first season. But a lot of talented internationals came in the next year, and my minutes were reduced."
Back at home for her winter break, Kline told her parents that she planned to transfer to a school where she would have a better opportunity to play. She entered the transfer portal in March 2020, at the outset of the pandemic.
"I talked to some San Diego area schools and made a visit to the University of San Diego," said Kline. "[Fullerton assistant coach] Kellan Wilson reached out to gauge my interest and said they could make an offer. In April, Demian called and said, 'What are you going to do?' I didn't want to be school-less, so I said, 'Take me on!' "
Kline said she enjoyed her experience at North Carolina State and living in Raleigh. "I really liked it there. I loved the different weather, experiencing the humidity and four seasons. The thunderstorms were so fun.
"I didn't have a car, so it was hard to explore. There was a lot of fan support in Raleigh – people love their Wolfpack. When I wore my women's soccer shirts, I would always get thumbs up from the locals."
Kline said her head coach, Tim Santoro, was helpful as she prepared to enter the transfer portal. "I didn't want it to be a hard process. But he was respectful and offered to provide whatever help was needed regarding films and references."
She reflected on the different styles of her past and present head coaches. "My coach at North Carolina State didn't talk as much he would email me notes after practice. Demian is more direct with an in-the-moment style. I like playing for him. He knows what is best for the team, so it comes down to trust."
Kline started playing soccer as a 5-year-old. "We signed her up for a coed under-6 league," her father recalled. "Maddie was the only girl not picking daisies. She was competing and keeping up with the boys."
She tried other sports, including swimming, gymnastics and basketball, with mixed results. "At her first basketball practice, she got so nervous that she got sick on the bench," said Kurt. "After a while, it became clear that soccer would be her sport."
She played for several club teams and competed overseas, visiting Germany, Austria and Sweden. "I love traveling," she said. With Legends FC, she won Cal South state championships in 2015 and 2016 and a US Youth Soccer national championship in 2015.
She lives at home with her parents. Kurt is an executive with Sword Performance, a manufacturer of performance hydration beverages. Her mother Maria is a finance manager in Santa Fe Springs at McMaster-Carr, an industrial supply distributor. Her older sister Haley works for a nonprofit in San Jose.
The 22-year-old Kline spends time with her mixed-breed dog Leo, named after Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi. "He was a Covid puppy, and he's now 2 years old." She recently worked as a bartender at Wise Guys Pizzeria in Yorba Linda but is now just concentrating on school and soccer.
Kline will receive her degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing in December. She plans to relocate to Rome, where she will work on a master's in sports management while playing for a soccer academy. She hopes to catch on with a pro team during her stay in Italy.
Kline is a business administration major with a concentration in marketing. She will graduate in December.
She envisions a career as a sports marketing coordinator or a public relations sports specialist. But for now, she's focused on helping the Titans notch another title.
"As we're wrapping up non-conference, I'm very excited to see how the girls and I will respond to Big West Conference play," said Kline. "Our goal is to finish strong and bring home another Big West title."
#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/5WA2UhJRCL
— Titans Women's Soccer (@FullertonWSOC) September 16, 2022