Matt Weir / The Collegian

The first thing fans see on the field during a soccer game in Bulldog Stadium is usually the Bulldog painted at midfield, the checkerboard end zone or the huge video board in the north end of the stadium.

But fans might also notice the lime-green cleats dashing and cutting across the field soon after.

Vanessa Gonzalez, a freshman midfielder and forward for the Bulldogs, wears neon lime-green cleats that stand out among the other 23 pairs of shoes on the team. Gonzalez has had her cleats since playing in high school last year and wouldn̢۪t trade them for any other cleats.

Gonzalez’s vibrant personality shines through the color of her cleats. She has always liked wearing bright colors – especially her cleats.

Before Gonzalez began wearing her current lime-green cleats, she had a yellow pair she wore in high school.

The lime-green cleats are not part of the standard uniform given to each player. Every player on the team is given a pair of cleats to wear at practice and in games.

The standard-issue shoes are not a bright and lustrous color like the shoes Gonzalez prefers to wear, but rather a standard black.

Nicole Duff, forward for the ̢۪Dogs, wears the cleats that were given to her by the team.

“They fit comfortably,â€Â Duff said about her provided cleats.

Duff said that the cleats are comfortable to wear and she wears them both on the game day field and the practice field. Duff said that if she wears her cleats out and needs another set, the team will provide them.

Gonzalez used her own money to buy her green cleats and her choice in cleats is based on the feel of her shoe. Gonzalez says her feet are narrow and the cleats provided just don̢۪t fit her properly. Gonzalez says her feet slide in the black cleats that she was given.

She has found a type of cleat that is made for more of a narrow foot and is still part of the brand that the team uses.

Her lime-green cleats are the Nike Vapor brand that Gonzalez says are made for a more narrow foot.

“I feel more comfortable in Vapors,â€Â Gonzalez said.

The lime-green cleats might clash with the team colors, but Gonzalez said that the coaches don’t have a problem with her wearing her own cleats. The coaches want her to play in whatever makes her comfortable – and what make Gonzalez comfortable are her lime-green cleats.