ERIE — Standing on the sidelines simply isn’t Taylor Troyan’s style.

She’s used to being in the game.

That’s one of the reasons the 2012 Butler graduate headed to Penn State Behrend to join the Lions’ women’s soccer team. She was a four-year starter in the net for Butler.

“I saw a good opportunity to make a difference for the team my freshman year and went for it,” Troyan said. “They have an excellent nursing program, too. I needed that.”

And Behrend needed a goalkeeper.

“We were a perfect fit,” eighth-year Lions coach Patrick O’Driscoll said.

Behrend won its third Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) title in six years last season, but graduated one part-time goalie from that team. The other netminder, a would-be junior, did not return to the program for academic reasons.

“I know some coaches in the (Butler) area and I saw Taylor play for Northern Steel in club soccer,” O’Driscoll said. “We got to talking, she wanted a nursing program and I liked her skill set.

“We threw Taylor right into the fire as a freshman and she’s doing very well.”

That may be an understatement.

Troyan has already been named AMCC Player of the Week and has been named ECAC Division III South Defensive Player of the Week twice. She has registered shutouts in four consecutive games as Behrend took a 6-7 record into Thursday’s match at Houghton.

The Lions started the season 0-5.

“We played some of the best teams in the region right off the bat, so Taylor had to adapt to the speed of the college game quickly,” O’Driscoll said. “It was a baptism under fire, but it’s helped her in the long run.”

Troyan recalls her first few games well.

“That was definitely tough,” she said. “The speed of the game was so much faster. Every girl on the field knew how to shoot and you had to make decisions quickly.

“I love the dedication at this level. Every player on our team is committed to the team and to getting better. At the high school level, not everyone is like that.”

Troyan was a four-time member of the Butler Eagle Girls Soccer Honor Roll in high school. She made 317 total saves during her freshman and sophomore years alone. She was named Defensive MVP twice and overall team MVP once, along with serving as team captain.

The Golden Tornado were only 16-50-3 overall, 10-40-2 in section play during Troyan’s tenure there.

Now she’s with a program that’s won three conference titles, made three NCAA tourney appearances and played in five AMCC championship games in the past seven years.

“It’s important to me to keep up that tradition,” Troyan said. “I want us to win the conference title and get back to the NCAA playoffs this year.”

Troyan is certainly doing her part, posting shutout wins over La Roche, Medaille, Pitt-Greensburg and Washington & Jefferson in Behrend’s last four games.

She ranks second in the AMCC in shutouts per game (0.15), fourth with a 1.72 goals-against average, fifth at 3.92 saves per game and eighth with a .708 save percentage.

“Against W&J, I had to win challenges for the ball and punch away a couple of shots in the air,” Troyan said. “But I get a lot of help from my defense here. I don’t face a lot of shots.”

She does face quality ones.

“When you’re playing good teams, every once in a while, they’re going to get a good scoring chance,” O’Driscoll said. “That’s when you need a good goalkeeper in there and Taylor is up to the task.

“Knowing we’ve got that position covered for the next four years is a very comforting feeling.”