Lana Golob stepped off the plane in Buffalo, N.Y., and grabbed her bags just after 10 p.m. She spent the entire day traveling across the globe, boarding a plane less than 12 hours removed from playing 90 minutes at center back in Slovenia's World Cup qualifier against France. 
 
The senior defender's globetrotting adventure was an effort to rejoin the VCU Women's Soccer team on the road at St. Bonaventure. But after three flights, her long day of travel wasn't over quite yet. Golob was picked up by a teammate's parents at the airport and drove an hour and half to the team hotel near Olean, N.Y., She arrived around midnight. 
 
"I felt exhausted," Golob said. "I was just trying to get as much water in me and trying to get my legs moving a little bit."
 
'She's like a woman amongst girls'
Before Golob was playing on the international stage, she was living in Recica ob Paki, Slovenia, a small village. When she moved to Richmond to play at VCU, Golob quickly noticed the difference of living in an American city and not a small town. 
 
"Everyone at home knows each other and here you don't say 'hi' to people on the streets, for example," Golob said jokingly. 
 
For Golob, it's not just the culture that's different in the U.S., but also the style of play on the pitch. In Europe, Golob said the game is more a possession-based game and not as direct as it is in the U.S. 
 
During the course of her career wearing black and gold, Golob has turned into a more physical player, according to VCU Head Coach Lindsey Martin.
 
"She's like a woman amongst girls sometimes, just in her ability to manipulate the ball and feel comfortable and composed on the ball," Martin said. "What Lana brings is that composure, that confidence back there and just kind of settles everybody down."
 
Golob has been a staple in Martin's starting lineups since she arrived in Richmond, starting in 55 games in her career. 
 
She had to learn the physicality of American soccer, but once she did, Golob mastered how to use it. She's figured out how to time tackles and be the first to the ball without fouling as the anchor of VCU's backline. 
 
"I just think that she's so tough physically," Martin said. "You're just not going to find a tougher kid physically in 1-v-1 battles."
 
Senior defender Amber DiOrio, who plays alongside Golob on the backline, echoed Martin. 
 
"I'd say she's a tough competitor," DiOrio said. "She is strong. She is gritty."
 
Golob has been able to combine the two styles of play into her own game, bringing European soccer to the U.S. and American style soccer overseas. 
 
"I'm definitely more physical because you can't just switch it off when you go back and forth," Golob said. "I'm definitely combining both styles of soccer. It's really helped me be more of a complete player."
 
World Cup Qualifying
The decision to let Golob go overseas and miss the Rams' Atlantic 10 Conference opener against George Washington was a tough one for Martin, but in the end, she knew it was a great opportunity for Golob. 
 
"The Women's World Cup is the highest level of women's soccer," Martin said. "While it's not convenient for us, I certainly support her and understand that's something that she should want to do and should do."
 
Golob had a tight schedule traveling to Slovenia to join the national team camp before qualifying matches against Estonia and France. She left following an intrasquad scrimmage in Richmond and was in Slovenia a day later. 
 
Before the team's second qualification game against France, Golob said her legs were shaking on the sideline as the national anthem played, but once the referee blew the whistle she was ready to play. 
 
"You've got to just turn that off when the ref blows the whistle to start the game and just focus on the present moment and doing the best you can," Golob said. "That's really all you can control."
 
Golob's focus worked against Estonia as well, scoring a goal off of a deflection on a corner kick in the 31st minute. She says she kicked the ball as hard as she could. 
 
"No words. Just to play for your country, that's enough," Golob said of her goal. "I have no words right now either because it was just like a different feeling, standing on the pitch, hearing your national anthem, just a very unbelievable feeling."
 
Back in Richmond, the women's soccer team was at practice, but that didn't stop them from following their teammate's game more than 4,000 miles away. 
 
Senior forward Emily Charen, who wasn't practicing due to an injury, had the game broadcast on her phone. When Golob found the back of the net, she made sure to let the team know.
 
"As soon as she scored, Charen yelled at us and we were all hyped for her," DiOrio said. "We were all so excited for her. Every time I see it, I still get happy. Like, 'Hell yeah, that's my other center back.'"
 
Slovenia beat Estonia 4-0 before falling to powerhouse France 3-2 in a close match two days later. 
 
For Martin, seeing a player she's been able to help mold has been "great."
 
"You know when you recruit these players what you believe their potential to be," Martin said. "But, when you see someone like Lana grow into that potential and really develop through her time here with us and Slovenia, I think that it's been fun to watch."
 
While Golob was playing overseas, she didn't stop thinking about her VCU teammates. She tried to stream the game against GW on ESPN+, but it didn't work. So she did the next best thing: FaceTime.
 
She watched the team's 3-2 overtime win over the Colonials on Sept. 19 while a teammate's parents streamed the game via FaceTime. 
 
The battle with France didn't end until around midnight local time, but Golob woke up early the next day to get on a plane at 8 a.m. She was bound for Paris, then John F. Kennedy airport in New York City before landing in Buffalo. 
 
"I flew back immediately to play that game," Golob said. "It was just a very hectic schedule, but worth it because this is what I love to do."
 
A game-winning goal
Martin knew she'd play Golob against the Bonnies, but she wasn't expecting her to play a bulk of the minutes. Golob started on the bench, but 15 minutes into the contest, Martin saw the Rams' defense in a frenzy and knew how to calm it: Put in her world-class defender. 
 
The only reassurance Martin needed from Golob was a nod that she was ready to go in. So, she turned to her bench, asked Golob if she was good to go and inserted her into the lineup.
 
"We didn't know how her legs would feel when she returned or just how her body would feel after making that long trip and playing two days prior," Martin said. "I texted her earlier in the day asking if she thought she'd be prepared to play if called upon and she said 'Yes, I've been getting my legs ready.'"
 
DiOrio said she noticed Golob was tired, but when she came into the game, a sense of relief was there – her partner on the backline was back.
 
"I felt this relief of stress off my shoulders even though she was like 'I'm tired, I'm sore,'" DiOrio said of when Golob was substituted into the game. 
 
It didn't take Golob much time to make an impact on the offensive end, as she cleaned up an attempt on a corner kick early in the second half to mark the lone goal of the contest. The goal was her first of two game-winners this season; the second coming on Oct. 3 against UMass. 
 
"Typical Lana on a set piece is always dangerous," Martin said of the goal against St. Bonaventure. "She was able to go forward and she's really great not only on the initial service, but the second and third balls, getting on the ends of them."
 
Golob played 71 minutes in the contest, just two days removed from playing 180 minutes in a four-day span with Slovenia in the two qualifying matches. 
 
It wasn't the ideal plan for Martin to have Golob play for a long stretch against the Bonnies, but she was ready to do anything to help the team.
 
"I just want to help the team in any way possible," Golob said. "If our coach had that much faith in me that I was able to play, of course I'm going to perform at the best of my abilities."