Between the Posts: Q&A with Raimo, Gambill and Sorzano

Courtesy: FIUSports.com
Release: 09/02/2009

As the FIU women's soccer team gears up for its weekend matchups in Tampa against USF on Friday and UCF on Sunday, a few student-athletes took a timeout to provide a glimpse into their lives both on and off the field. In this week's Q&A, find out which cartoon character sophomore goalkeeper Melanie Raimo is obsessed with, why sophomore defender Jessica Gambill lacks cheerleading skills and which famous athlete junior midfielder Kassandra Sorzano would switch places with for a day.

What did you do this summer?
Raimo: I went home for half of it, just relaxed and worked out. Then I came back and took summer classes.
Gambill: My summer break was four days because I was here all of summer. Those four days I went home and had home cooked meals from my mom. That was about it.
Sorzano: I went and visited the Dominican Republic.

Melanie, you're from Tampa. How big is the fan club going to be for the games this weekend?
Raimo: I can't give you the exact number but hopefully I'll have a whole section (laughs).

What is your major and what do you like about it?
Raimo: I'm doing international business in the honors college, and I just really like business and economics. The whole world revolves around business and I just think it's really interesting.
Gambill: Sports management. I'm around sports all the time and I just love them. I really want to do something that I can be active with.
Sorzano: Currently I'm accounting but I'm looking to switch to international business. I like it because it's very broad and I can get into many different areas.

What is your favorite soccer memory?
Gambill: Winning the state championship my freshman year, my sophomore year and my senior year, but my senior year, I think was the best because we blew out the team. There were 12 seniors in my class. I just want another ring for college now.
Sorzano: For sure, winning the first district title in school history my senior year at Coral Reef.

What do you still wish to accomplish?
Raimo: I really want to travel. That's why I want to get into international business. I've never actually been outside the U.S. besides on a cruise. I'd really like to travel and see different places. I really want to go to Greece because I'm Greek and Italy because I'm Italian.
Gambill: I want to win conference and make it to the NCAA Tournament.
Sorzano: Winning some sort of championship I've never won.

What might people be surprised to know about you?
Raimo: I'm obsessed with Hello Kitty.
Gambill: I want to be more successful in academics than athletics.
Sorzano: I like to scrapbook.

What sport or activity are you worst at?
Raimo:  My friends have tried to teach me how to play guitar but that just doesn't work for me. I can't hold the strings down. I'm really good at Guitar Hero, though.
Gambill: Probably cheerleading. I can dance but cheerleading? I don't know. I don't think I could have a smile and coordinate.
Sorzano: Maybe tennis.

What is the TV show you can't stop watching?
Raimo: House.
Gambill: Animal Planet.
Sorzano: Desperate Housewives.

What is something that you can't live without?
Raimo: Ketchup.
Gambill: Food.
Sorzano: My family.

What made you come to FIU?
Raimo: It's just the total package here - to have the opportunity to start as a freshman and being in the honors college in a major that I really wanted. The campus was beautiful and I really wanted to be in a big school in a big city, and you can't get a bigger city than Miami.
Gambill: Thomas (Chesnutt) really, just because he was starting fresh. He was a new coach and all the things he said and all the goals he wants to accomplish are the same goals I want.
Sorzano: Mostly because it's close to home. I didn't really want to go away.

What was the last movie you saw?
Raimo: I just watched "I Love You, Man" again. I've seen it twice now. I watched it with my roommates the other day.
Gambill: G.I. Joe. It was really good.

Who is your hero?
Raimo: My grandfather.
Gambill: My mommy.
Sorzano: My dad but also my high school coach.

Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?
Raimo: I'm very superstitious when it comes to game time. Anything that's going to be jinxed, I flip out. If anybody tells me "Oh Mel, awesome job! You've got a shutout," at halftime, I just freak out. I can't handle it.
Gambill: Everybody basically comes to the locker room about 30 minutes before the game starts and we just relax and chill. Katrina (Rose) and I blare music in there and dance.
Sorzano: I have a certain playlist on my iPod and I always have to listen to it.

If you could trade places with anybody for a day, who would it be?
Raimo: I would trade places with Miley Cyrus.  She has two lives, what's better than that?
Gambill: Actually, maybe one of the coaches. If we switched roles, like they were the athlete and I was the coach, I'd probably make them run.
Sorzano: I guess a famous athlete. Can it be a male, is that weird? Maybe LeBron James.

What is your favorite meal?
Raimo: Breakfast. Everything breakfast.
Gambill: Collard greens, fried chicken and oven-baked mac-and-cheese.
Sorzano: Rice, beans and steak.