Most area sports fans know that its a big accomplishment for a high school basketball player to score a 1,000 in a career, or a football player to achieve a 1,000 yard season.

For a high school soccer player, it is a similar accomplishment to score at least 50 goals in a high school career.

Last week, Tyrone senior captain Carrie Vance scored her 50th career goal against Phillipsburg.

Vance is the first player in Tyrone High School history to reach this milestone.

“Getting my 50th goal was a relief,” said Vance, “I finished my junior season with 49 goals. I sat on that number for a whole year. I knew that I was going to score. I just didn’t know when.”

Vance’s talent and hard work is appreciated by her coaching staff.

“It was great to see her achieve such an accomplishment,” said Coach Tiffany Smith, “she has been talented at her position since freshman year, but she has really worked hard to develop her one on one play.”

Vance has been making leaps and bounds toward this goal since her freshman year on the team. During her 2011 season she established her personal single season record, scoring 17 goals. She went on to score 15 goals in her sophomore year , and 17 last year as a junior.

Since scoring her 50th, Vance has continued scoring at a fast pace.  She’s got 7 goals in her past three games, raising her current season total to 13.

“My freshman year I was really nervous to start on the varsity team,” said Vance, “I played competitive soccer for several years before I started high school, but varsity was different. I was 14, playing girls who were 17. But as soon as I scored that first goal I knew I could play at the varsity level.”

Vance was a starting player all four years on the team and during the past three she has been one of the team’s captains. She was team MVP her freshman and sophomore year and offensive MVP her junior year.

Vance was also named a Mountain League 1st Team All-Star her freshman and sophomore year and 2nd team All-Star her junior year.

Vance cares deeply about the team. “Without my team, scoring goals wouldn’t be an option. Winning a soccer game is a team effort,” said Vance.

Vance’s  teammates also appreciate her commitment and what she brings to the team.

“Carrie is a wonderful soccer player,” said Hope Wilson, another one of the team’s captains, “and she’s always looking for the goal. She can score from anywhere, which is an incredible asset to the team.”

Vance has been involved in soccer since she was eight years old.

Vance started her soccer career playing AYSO and she is still involved with the organization refereeing games and prepping fields as a volunteer. She has also played for the club team, AC United– an Altoona based competitive team which is currently in the top league of PA– since she was 10 years old.

Carrie is currently undecided as to where she plans to continue her career at the collegiate level, but Washington and Jefferson and Shenandoah are looking at her for next season’s team.