By Jim Fenton, Enterprise staff writer

She has never paid close attention to individual statistics while playing soccer at Plymouth North High School and Saint Anselm College.

“I'm really not into that,” said Jocelyn Savastano, a senior co-captain at the Manchester, N.H., college. “People will say, 'You scored three goals,' but as long as we won, that's all that matters. That's just the way I was brought up.”

Savastano, who credits her mother, Debbie, for that approach, has never changed that philosophy, even while rewriting the Saint Anselm record book.

She long ago established new career marks in goals and points for the Hawks and has 76 goals, 28 assists and 180 points with four regular-season games to go.

There is, however, one team-oriented goal that has eluded Savastano throughout her career, something that could become reality this fall.

“The records really don't mean anything to her,” said Saint Anselm coach Al Alvine. “All she wants to do is win. It's her fourth year here and she's never played in the (Northeast-10 Conference) tournament.

“She'd trade all the records for the opportunity to win a conference championship.”

Savastano and the Hawks (7-4-3) are in the running for a NE-10 playoff spot with a 4-3-3 conference record.

After finishing below .500 in 2003 and 2004 and just missing the postseason in 2005, Savastano would like nothing better than to get into the tourney before leaving Saint Anselm.

“That,” said Savastano, “is our No. 1 goal here. Our team chemistry is amazing this year.”

Appearing in the NE-10 playoffs would top off a brilliant career for Savastano, who started scoring goals as a freshman and hasn't stopped.

Savastano was named the NE-10 freshman of the year after getting 11 goals and seven assists for 29 points, all team highs. She registered the second-highest point total for a freshman at Saint Anselm.

Despite missing six games with an injury as a sophomore, Savastano led the Hawks with 23 goals and 51 points. She scored 26 of Saint Anselm's 50 goals last season, contributing eight assists for a career-best 60 points.

This season, Savastano leads the NE-10 and is among the national Div. 2 leaders in goals (16), assists (eight) and points (40) in 14 games.

Savastano owns the Saint Anselm single-season record for goals and points (eclipsing marks of 20 and 44 in her sophomore and junior years). She broke the career record for goals and points (61, 142) which had been held by another Plymouth native, Caroline Sheeran.

“She's got the physical tools and she's very fast and very strong,” said Alvine of what makes Savastano so effective. “Technically, she's a very good player and she has the knack to be in the right place at the right time.

“She's a very, very hard worker who is very determined and is very good at creating opportunities for herself through hard work and intelligence.”

Savastano's older brother, Mike, played hockey and baseball at Fitchburg State College, and her younger brother, Scott, is a baseball standout at Franklin Pierce College.

She turned to soccer at the age of 10 after having played hockey with her brothers. Soccer was a sport Savastano quickly grew to like and she had a record-setting career at Plymouth North.

The atmosphere at Saint Anselm attracted her to New Hampshire after Savastano was recruited by Merrimack, Franklin Pierce and Bridgewater State College. Savastano made a name for herself right away by winning the freshman of the year award.

“When I got here, I expected to play as a freshman, but I didn't think I'd do as well as I did,” said Savastano. “I played right away and I guess, mentally, I said to myself that I could stay with these girls.

“I guess it means a lot to come in as a freshman and step up and be the best freshman in the conference.”

Early in her sophomore year, Savastano tied a national Div. 2 record with seven goals against New England College, becoming the third player to achieve that mark. A head injury hampered her that season and she was forced to take time off.

Savastano has tied her best assist total with eight as she's been frequently double-teamed and has found open teammates.

“We have a better team this year with girls who can score,” said Savastano. “If I'm double-teamed, it opens things up and I take two players out of the middle to create space.”

Said Alvine, “She draws a lot of attention. I've really seen her develop into a player who is very good at bring her teammates into the game. The general view before was if you could stop Savastano, Saint Anselm wouldn't be able to beat you and there was some truth to that. This year, it's different. We've got talented new players who help take the pressure off her.”

When she is not in the classroom working towards a degree in sociology or playing soccer, Savastano does volunteer work in New Hampshire.

She works with children in area schools and visits nursing homes, getting a feel for a career in social work that she may pursue.

Savastano would like to keep playing soccer in a summer league after graduating and would be open to a professional career if it materializes.

Before that happens, she hopes to get the Hawks into the NE-10 playoffs to finish off a record-breaking career in style.

“She's a soft-spoken kid who leads more by example,” said Alvine. “She plays hurt, plays under any circumstance. She had shin splints last year and never talked about it.

“It's not just the goals or the points, but the leadership that she brings. We have five freshmen starters, and she's a great role model for them. We're going to miss that.”