The fall semester may still be almost three weeks away at Long Island University (LIU), but fall sports are already in action. Today is the first match of the season for women’s soccer, which kicks off play by taking on Saint Peter’s. It will be the first game for sophomore goalkeeper Morgan Gopaul, who spent her freshman year at Hofstra, but made the switch in the hopes of earning a starting position.
Gopaul was born in New Jersey, and grew up in Irvine, California. Soccer was always a passion in her family and they inspired her love for the sport from a young age. She joined her first organized team at age 3. Gopaul earned numerous accolades while in high school, and looked for a return to her roots for college.
“Having a strong soccer team on the east coast was very exciting and it enticed me and led me here,” said Gopaul. The soccer program is based at LIU Post on Long Island. She left Hofstra because there was an upperclassman goalkeeper who decided to take the fifth year allotted due to the pandemic. “By going to LIU, I would have a chance of starting. I do love Long Island and I wanted to stay due to it being close to the city, and that would be good for internships.”
She was also impressed by LIU soccer coach Lucy Gillett’s background as a goalkeeper who has played professionally. Gopaul hopes under Gillett’s guidance she can advance to the next level. Gopaul’s father’s family is from Trinidad, West Indies, and her grandfather played for and coached the men’s national soccer team. Gopaul hopes to continue family tradition and play for Trinidad.
A data analytics major, Gopaul said she loves numbers and is an analytical person. “I want to get into trading and the stock market,” she said. “I’ve been working on that for the last couple of years. I would love to continue to do that outside of my soccer. I feel I can balance that while doing soccer, which is good.”
As the start of the season approached, Gopaul looked forward to seeing the LIU team come together. “If we communicate well, we’ll be able to win together,” she said. “I’m looking forward to seeing us push ourselves and each other to become our best selves.”