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STEVE LEEPasco County's all-time leading scorer already has her name etched in LSU's record book.
Strong, silent and deadly.
Soccer star Stacy Bishop plays the role to the hilt.
Though some coaches have tried to persuade Pasco County's all-time scoring leader to step out of her shell, Bishop continues to succeed - doing it her way.
After leading Land O'Lakes to the Class 2A state championship as a senior, Bishop is Louisiana State's premier scoring threat.
"She's quiet, but she recognizes the fact that she needs to take it to the next level," said Vicky King, who coached Bishop at Land O'Lakes for four seasons. "She leads on the field until she feels the time is appropriate to speak up. She doesn't want to step on toes. She's still a freshman there."
The 5-foot-10 forward, whose team-leading 10 goals and 23 points are good for second in the Southeastern Conference in both categories, disdains talking about herself. Nonetheless, she readily admitted to being confident about succeeding at the collegiate level.
"Just watching college soccer, I knew I'd be able to do well and make an immediate impact," Bishop said. "But I didn't think I'd do as well as I've been doing."
LSU coach George Fotopoulos, who saw Bishop play for Land O'Lakes in each of her four seasons, expected as much. Bishop, the coach said, is a primary reason the Tigers are 7-3-1 and have outscored the opposition 36-10.
"She can take the game over," said Fotopoulos, the former University of Tampa coach. "I think she can do that, and she's got to believe she can do it."
As good as Bishop is, the coach and player alike think there is room for improvement.
"She's started off solid, better than most people would expect her to," Fotopoulos said. "She's still got a long ways to go, but she's going to be one of the best players in the country."
Bishop is at the learning stage but is adjusting well to the jump from high school.
"College soccer is about 20 times harder than high school," she said. "Everyone's good, really good. It's a step up."
Bishop wasted no time making her mark and giving the Baton Rouge fans plenty to cheer about. In the Aug. 29 season opener, she passed to Stephanie Keating for the winning goal in a 2-1 overtime defeat of Coastal Carolina.
Two days later, Bishop put her name in the school record book by scoring a single-game high five goals. That outburst led the Tigers to a school-record for goals in a 12-0 win over Jackson State.
Bishop's reward for those contributions in the Tiger Classic was a spot on the all-tournament team.
Bishop has dealt with team and individual success for quite some time. Even before high school, she helped lead Pine View to a Pasco County Middle School Athletic Conference championship.
Her four seasons at Land O'Lakes included three district and three conference titles, a state championship and two region finals.
She won four county scoring titles and finished as its all-time goal-scorer with 192. That topped Melissa Wells' (Ridgewood, Class of 1991) 175 goals.
Getting off to a productive start at LSU, Bishop said, "is a confidence booster.
"It's the same game. I just have to go to the net hard and just make the right decision. If you have a shot, take it. If not, pass it. (In college soccer) you just don't get as many opportunities."
For now, the laid-back Bishop is content letting her athletic ability do her talking.
"She doesn't like to make waves," King said.
Fotopoulos does not envision Bishop remaining as quiet as she has been as a freshman.
"You'd never know she was one of our top players," Fotopoulos said.
"But sometimes if you're going to be a leader you've got to be vocal."