By Jen Toland, Telegram and Gazette

Worcester, Mass. -- Jillian Witkowski made her debut for the Worcester State women's soccer team three years ago as a defender, the position she played during her youth, travel and high school days, but last season, when the Lancers needed a goalkeeper, Witkowski said she'd give it a try.

"I haven't left the net since," said Witkowski, a junior, who has won eight games and has a 1.05 goals against average this fall.

And last spring, when the Worcester State softball team lacked a lefty bat, Witkowski, a right-hander, trained all winter at Double Play Sports, located near her Leicester home, to make the switch. She hit .338 (.485 in MASCAC games) and earned all-conference honors.

Witkowski has helped the soccer team to a 9-3 record. At 4-0 in conference games, the Lancers currently occupy the top spot in the MASCAC standings. They play a big game against rival Salem State Saturday.

With the help of a young but solid defense, including local center backs Kiley Hardy of Pepperell and Justine Butler of Marlboro, Witkowski has posted four shutouts this year. Three came during the Lancers' six-game winning streak.

After two seasons, her position on the soccer field isn't so new anymore.

"I'm a goalie now," Witkowski said. "I like playing in net. I like being in that position. I like having my team in front of me, and they're doing a great job."

The 5-foot-7 Witkowski, who as a kid was coached by her dad, is a good athlete. Her instincts helped her adjust pretty easily.

"Most people wouldn't think to dive headfirst at someone coming with the ball," she said, "but you just do it."

During a practice last year, Witkowski did just that — and crashed headfirst into the goal post. She suffered a laceration on her head that required a ride in an ambulance and 60 stitches.

"I had to save the ball," Witkowski said, "and I saved the ball."

The Lancers went 11-7-2 in 2013 and advanced to the MASCAC Tournament final.

Witkowski, who helped lead Leicester High to its first Central Mass. Division 2 softball championship in 2011, is an outfielder and designated hitter for the Lancers. She helped Worcester State to the MASCAC tourney semifinals last year.

In addition to being a vital member of both her teams, Witkowski has emerged as a leader on campus over the last year.

A nursing major, Witkowski has a 3.34 grade point average and has earned MASCAC All-Academic honors three times.

Last year, Witkowski, who hopes to follow in her mom's professional footsteps, won the Dr. Lillian R. Goodman "Next Big Idea" Contest, a competition that allows Worcester State nursing students to share their ideas and innovations for the nursing profession and health care.

Witkowski created a padded footrest for the walkers of elderly patients in nursing facilities, where regular footstools aren't usually used due to danger concerns. She presented her idea to a panel of judges and was chosen the winner among 29 submissions.

Two weeks ago, Witkowski was the guest speaker at Worcester State's Scholarship Donor and Recipient Brunch. Witkowski addressed more than 600 attendees, including Worcester State president Barry Maloney, about her experiences as a two-sport athlete and nursing student, and also about her involvement in Worcester State's Athlete Mentor Program and Student Nursing Association community awareness committee.

"I also talked about how scholarships help everyone," Witkowski said, "and how people like me couldn't do it without them."

Witkowski is a recipient of the Alumni Association of Worcester City Hospital School of Nursing scholarship.

Witkowski recently completed a maternity clinical at St. Vincent Hospital.

She was the youngest competitor in the "Next Big Idea" contest.

"That really pushed me into 'this is what I want to do,'" Witkowski said. "It was motivation, and it also gave me a lot of speaking opportunities at the school. Now I really like public speaking, and I'm really thinking of furthering my career to go into community awareness. I wouldn't have thought of that if I hadn't taken advantage of those opportunities."