BRAVO GOALKEEPING

• Home • Staff • Training • Media • Features • Contact Us •

 

 

                   

 

 

 

 

 

Features

Hors' Deurves Anyone?

 

 

Crotty Plays For Ireland

Long time Bravo keeper Sinead Crotty played for the U-17 Ireland National Team in two matches against Poland in Ireland, trained with the full Irish Women's National Team in Portugal, and played a full game against Norway in the elite qualifying round of the UEFA Women's U17 European Championship.  Crotty shut out Norway 1-0 to ensure that Ireland would remain in Europe's Top 10, including a top corner save in the dying moments.  A native of Hamden (CT), 15 year old Crotty is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Ireland, and is therefore eligible to play for the Ireland U17s...  MORE

 

 

 

Penn State Sophomore Naeher Earns All-America Honors

Penn State's sophomore dynamo Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) has been named NSCAA Women's Soccer All-American 1st Team after a standout season for the 10-time reigning Big Ten Champions.

Naeher's first All-America honor cements her position as the nation's top goalkeeper after only her sophomore campaign. The Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year, she finished the year with a 0.62 goals per game average (best ever by a PSU sophomore and 18th nationally), including a tiny 0.39 goals against mark in conference play. Naeher came up with the big saves when Penn State needed them, tallying 103 stops and posting a 0.873 save percentage, which was 12th in the nation. A two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, she also earned Soccer America Team of the Week this year and was an academic All-District selection by ESPN the Magazine. Naeher was honored as a first team All-Big Ten pick, marking her second all-conference award after being named to the league's second team last year.  She is Penn State's third goalkeeper to earn All-America honors as Emily Oleksiuk (1999, 2000 and 2001) and Erin McLeod (2004- third team, 2005) both previously earned All-America nods at the position.

Penn State's All-Time All-Americans (First Team Unless Otherwise Indicated)

Kelly Convey, 1998
Sheree Gray, 2006
Natalie Jacobs, 2004
Ali Krieger, 2005, 2006
Joanna Lohman, 2001, 2002, 2003
Erin McLeod, 2004 (third team), 2005
Alyssa Naeher, 2007
Emily Olelsiuk, 1999, 2000, 2001
Katie Schoepfer, 2007
Tiffany Weimer, 2003, 2004, 2005
Christie Welsh, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 (second team)
 

2007 NSCAA/adidas NCAA Women's Division I All-America Team

First Team
Pos., Name, Class, School, Hometown
K, Alyssa Naeher , So., Penn State, Seymour, Conn.
D, Nikki Krzysik, Jr., Virginia, Clifton, N.J.
D, Stephanie Lopez **, Sr., Portland, Elk Grove, Calif.
D, Becky Sauerbrunn *, Sr., Virginia, St. Louis, Mo.
D, Brittany Taylor, Jr., Connecticut, Campbell Hall, N.Y.
M, Yael Averbuch *, Jr., North Carolina, Upper Montclair, N.J.
M, Tobin Heath, So., North Carolina, Basking Ridge, N.J.
M, Meghan Schnur, Sr., Connecticut, Butler, Pa.
F, Brittany Bock, Jr., Notre Dame, Naperville, Ill.
F, Lauren Cheney *, So., UCLA, Indianapolis, Ind.
F, Parrissa Eyorokon, Sr., Purdue, West Chester, Ohio
F, Kerri Hanks **, Jr., Notre Dame, Allen, Texas

Second Team
K, Kristin Olsen, So., USC, Orange, Calif.
D, Greer Barnes, Jr., West Virginia, Rye, N.Y.
D, Melanie Booth, Sr., Florida, Burlington, Ont.
D, Rachel Buehler *, Sr., Stanford, Del Mar, Calif.
M, Amanda Cicchini, Jr., West Virginia, Oakville, Ont.
M, Christina DiMartino *, Jr., UCLA, Massapequa Park, N.Y.
M, Ashley Nick, Jr., USC, Monrovia, Calif.
M, Ingrid Wells, Fr., Georgetown, Upper Montclair, N.J.
F, Annie Lowry, Sr., James Madison, Butler, Pa.
F, Kelley O'Hara, So., Stanford, Fayetteville, Ga.
F, Carrie Patterson, So., Georgia, Atlanta, Ga.
F, Katie Schoepfer, So., Penn State, Waterford, Conn.

Third Team
K, Jaimel Johnson, Jr., Tennessee, Springboro, Ohio
D, Kira Bilecky, Sr., Purdue, Washington, D.C.
D, Lauren Hyde, So., Florida, Carmel, Ind.
D, Jessica Maxwell *, Sr., North Carolina, Colleyville, Texas
D, Kasey Moore *, Jr., Texas, Mission Viejo, Calif.
D, Sue Weber, Sr., Hofstra, Islip, N.Y.
M, Danesha Adams **, Sr., UCLA, Shaker Heights, Ohio
M, Danielle Collins, Jr., William & Mary, Cream Ridge, N.J.
M, Kimmy Germain, Jr., James Madison, McLean, Va.
M, Angie Woznuk, Sr., Portland, El Cajon, Calif.
F, Ashley Banks, Sr., West Virginia, Annandale, Va.
F, Brooke DeRosa, Sr., Hofstra, Ronkonkoma, N.Y.
F, Katie Larkin *, Jr., Brigham Young, Draper, Utah
F, Ashlee Pistorius *, Sr., Texas A&M, Bloomington, Ill.
F, Claire Zimmeck, Jr., William & Mary, Fairfax, Va.
 

 

 

 

Starr Earns First Team All-Ivy and Third Team All-Northeast

Bravo since age 13, now a Yale Senior

Susan Starr was one of three Bulldogs named to the first team

Susan Starr, a Fairfield, Conn., native, started all 17 games in goal for Yale. She led the Ivy League in save percentage (.867) and was second in goals against average (0.71). Her top performance came against Princeton in the season finale when she made seven saves in a 3-1 victory.

2007 NSCAA/adidas - NCAA Division I Women - All-Northeast Region

First Team
Pos. Name Year School Hometown
K Stephanie Labbe Jr. Connecticut  Alberta, Canada
D Cathleen Cimino Sr. Columbia  Melbourne, Fla.
D Courtney Fedge So. Fordham  Bellport, N.Y.
D Brittany Taylor Jr. Connecticut  Campbell Hall, N.Y.
M Sue Weber Sr. Hofstra  Islip, N.Y.
M Brooke Barbuto Jr. Stony Brook  Syracuse, N.Y.
M Dora Larusdottir Jr. Rhode Island  Reykjavik, Iceland
M Edel Malone Jr. Hofstra  Ennis, Ireland
M Meghan Schnur Sr. Connecticut  Butler, Pa.
F Brooke DeRosa Sr. Hofstra  Ronkonkoma, N.Y.
F Debra Nelson Sr. Rhode Island  Chepachet, R.I.
F Maggie Westfal Jr. Yale  New Canaan, Conn.

Second Team
Pos. Name Year School Hometown
K Marisa Viola So. Stony Brook  Cutchogue, N.Y.
D Hannah Cerrone Fr. Boston College  Wappingers Falls, N.Y.
D Jess Crankshaw So. Hofstra  Lanoka Harbor, N.J.
D Kia McNeil Sr. Boston College  Avon, Conn.
D Lizzy Nichols So. Harvard  Princeton, N.J.
M Alex Carem Sr. Fairfield  Lexington, Mass.
M Elizabeth Eng Jr. Connecticut  Lake Zurich, Ill.
M Sophie Reiser So. Columbia  Seattle, Wash.
F Brittany Bisnott Sr. Niagara  Brampton, Ontario
F Kim Boulos Jr. Fordham  Croton, N.Y.
F Michelle Sheehan Jr. New Hampshire  Belmont, Mass.
F Katherine Sheeleigh Fr. Harvard  New Vernon, N.J.

Third Team
Pos. Name Year School Hometown
K Susan Starr Sr. Yale  Fairfield, Conn.
D Casey Brown So. Boston University  Natick, Mass.
D Mary Kuder Sr. Yale  Seattle, Wash.
D Tara Mendoza So. St. John's  Valey Stream, N.Y.
D Melanie Ondrejik Sr. Marist  Manalapan, N.J.
M Katie McDermott Fr. Fordham  Tucson, Ariz.
M Marisha Schumacher-Hodge Jr. Boston University  Los Angeles, Calif.
M Caitlin Whelan Jr. New Hampshire  Weymouth, Mass.
M Tiffany Yovino Fr. Hofstra  Holtsville, N.Y.
F Meagan Riemer Sr. Hartford  Ellington, Conn.
F Franny Iacuzzi Sr. Colgate  Evanston, Ill.
F Gina DiMartino So. Boston College  Massapequa, N.Y.

 

 

 

Did You Know?

Bravo Keepers Gettin' It Done

 

NAEHER GARNERS ALL-BIG TEN; BIG TEN DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR HONORS

Six Nittany Lions earned all-Big Ten honors after helping their team to a 10th-straight conference title including sophomore goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.), who garnered Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Naeher is Penn State's 10th Big Ten Player of the Year (Offensive or Defensive) and is the Nittany Lions' first goalkeeper to be honored with conference Player of the Year recognition.  Sophomores Naeher and striker Katie Schoepfer, as well as redshirt-junior midfielder Zoe Bouchelle (Cockeysville, Md.) were all named to the first team, while senior defender Denay Riley (Washingtonville, N.Y.), senior forward Aubrey Aden-Buie, and junior defender Jessie Davis (Fairfax, Va.) received second team honors. Penn State's six selections pushes its number of All-Big Ten picks to 65 in the 14-year history of the program. Additionally, Danielle Toney (Northville, Mich.) was also named to the all-freshman team. Bouchelle received the team's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.

As Penn State is off to another outstanding season, sophomore goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) has been selected for second team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Preseason All-American Naeher has not disappointed in her second year as PSU's starter, compiling a .892 save percentage, which is seventh nationally, and a .553 goals against average, good enough for 17th in the country. The top goalkeeper in the conference, Naeher has tallied eight shutouts and limited Nittany Lion opponents to only 11 goals this season.

Penn State - 2007 Big 10 Regular Season Champs

 

 

PHILADELPHIA- Freshman goalkeeper Kara Williams capped off a stellar rookie campaign with an appointment to the Atlantic 10's All-Rookie Team, as announced Wednesday.

A two-time A-10 Rookie of the Week, Williams started every game in goals for the Owls. She earned three shutouts and a 1.49 goals against average, which is ranked fourth on TU's single season list. The Stratford, Conn. native also posted a .774 save percentage, which is tied for 10th on the Temple single season list.

Williams had a breakout first season, stopping 96 opponent shots, which is the third best tally in the A-10. Her 5.05 saves per game average is ranked fourth in the Conference. Season highlights include nine saves to give Temple its first win over Dayton in 13 tries and a career-high 11 saves in a 1-1 tie with Saint Louis.

 

 

 

James blasts Mac over keepers treatment

No head coach that played in goal would ever make this decision!

David James (pictured above) has blasted Steve McClaren's 'ludicrous' treatment of his goalkeepers during his ill-fated England reign.

After sticking with Paul Robinson as his number one for the entire Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, a series of errors prompted the England boss to call on Scott Carson for his competitive debut in last Wednesday's decider against Croatia.

But Carson was guilty of a disastrous early mistake which handed the Croatians their first goal in a 3-2 victory which sent England out - and cost McClaren his job.

James, who was sat on the bench at Wembley, was bemused by McClaren's decision and claimed he should have blooded new talent far earlier.

'At the last hurdle we switched goalkeepers and heaped pressure on ourselves. But we needn't have done. Over the past 17 months there were many opportunities to try out a variety of England goalkeepers. So why didn't we?,' James said in his column for The Observer.

Time and again different goalkeepers were brought into the squad - Chris Kirkland and Ben Foster were selected in the early stages, then Scott Carson and Robert Green and finally myself.

'But until the Austria game, and other than Paul Robinson, only Ben Foster - in the friendly against Spain - started a match.

'In the meantime the number-two goalkeeper sitting on the bench rotated between five of us. It's ludicrous.'

James added: 'Did sitting on the bench prepare Scotty for being in goal against Croatia, five days after his senior England debut, with the fate of the nation resting on his shoulders?

'Gianluigi Buffon made his debut as a 19-year-old in Italy's 1998 World Cup play-off qualifier against Russia and handled the pressure to keep a clean sheet for Italy to reach the finals.

'Scotty is a great keeper and will undoubtedly become England's number one in the future, but he didn't need to be put in that position, he should never have reached the Croatia game so poorly equipped in terms of experience.'

James has also warned that there is no quick fix to England's problems as they look towards qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

'Whatever we do now is not going to solve the problem of qualification for 2010,' he added.

'With the new Fifa rankings placing us as second-string seeds in the European qualifying groups, the situation is a serious wake-up call.

'We're not going to grow a team in time for the World Cup - we will have to use what we've already got.'

 

 

 

Williams Voted Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer's Co-Rookie Of The Week

Oct. 8, 2007

PHILADELPHIA-After posting 16 saves in two games over the weekend, Kara Williams was voted Atlantic 10 Co-Rookie of the Week for the second time this season. 

Williams registered a career-high 11 saves on Oct. 5 as Temple played Saint Louis to a 1-1 draw.  She then followed that up with five saves in the Owls' 1-0 loss to Charlotte on Oct. 7.  The Stratford, Conn. native boasts a 1.04 goals against average in 12 starts.

Temple takes to the road this weekend with a game at Fordham on Friday and a La Salle on Sunday.

 

Williams Voted Women's Soccer's Atlantic 10 Rookie Of The Week

Sept. 24, 2007

PHILADELPHIA- Women's soccer rookie goalkeeper Kara Williams has been voted the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week, for the week ending September 23.  This is the first honor of the season for the Stratford, Conn. native and the second for the women's soccer team.

Williams did not allow a goal in 155 minutes of action as Temple defeated St. Peter's (2-0) on Sept. 21 and tied Monmouth (0-0) on Sept. 23.  She registered seven saves versus Monmouth, including a pair of stops in overtime.

She has lowered her goals against average to 1.09 on the year and an 80.5% save percentage.

Temple begins Atlantic 10 play this weekend, hosting Dayton on Friday at 2 p.m. and traveling to Rhode Island on Sunday.

.

 

 

 

Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher Named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week

Sophomore Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) was named this week's Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, picking the sophomore up the first Big Ten weekly honor of her career. The Connecticut-native was also named to Soccer America's Team of the Week and earned Penn State Female Student-Athlete of the Week. Naeher was the key to the No. 17 Nittany Lions' first undefeated week this year. The preseason All-American turned in another pair of outstanding performances, including weathering 24 shots vs. 2006 national runner-up Notre Dame in the Nittany Lions' 2-1 victory.

Sept. 24, 2007

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.;  Penn State goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) has been named this week's Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, picking up the sophomore the first Big Ten weekly honor of her career.

Naeher was the key to the No. 17 Nittany Lions' first undefeated week this year. The preseason All-American turned in another pair of outstanding performances, including weathering 24 shots vs. 2006 national runner-up Notre Dame in the Nittany Lions' 2-1 victory.

The Connecticut-native began the week with four saves against regional rival Bucknell before hitting the road again to South Bend, Ind. to avenge the Nittany Lions' 2006 NCAA Quarterfinal loss at Notre Dame. After tallying two saves in the opening half, Naeher turned it up the second half vs. a feisty Notre Dame offense, denying the Fighting Irish six times, many after Penn State had taken the lead back. The win over Notre Dame was the first for Penn State in the all-time series and marked the second road win over a top 25 team this year for the Nittany Lions.

For the year, Naeher has a 0.73 goals against average and a .898 save percentage. She also has three shutouts in her second year as the Nittany Lions' starter.

First story photo

 More Naeher

 

 

 

Bravo Keepers

Where Are They Now?

CLICK ON PICS

Nikki Weiss

Nikki Weiss - Notre Dame '11

 

Kara Williams

Kara Williams - Temple '11

 

Alyssa Naeher - Penn State '10

 

Kiki Moreo - Washington and Lee '09

 

Susan Starr

Susan Starr - Yale '08

 

Robbie Kramer - Union '09

 

 

 

Alyssa Naeher Named To U.S. Roster for Pan-American Games

A Bravo Keeper Since Age 13

The final score of Alyssa Naeher's last soccer match in the Pan Am Games wasn't indicative of the level of her play. Nor was the 5-0 loss to Brazil in the championship game Thursday in Rio de Janeiro how the goalkeeper from Seymour wanted to end her season with the United States' U-20 National Team

The rising sophomore at Penn State also can look back fondly on a performance that may have secured the U.S. a spot in that final against Brazil. Naeher was the star of the Americans' 2-1 win over Canada in the semifinals, making eight total saves, including one on a penalty kick late in the game off the foot of Canadian star Christine Sinclair.   more...

 

   

   2007 Pan American Games U.S. Women's Soccer Schedule and Results

    Date                 Opponent         Venue
    July 12             Paraguay          João Havelange Stadium                              7-1 W
    July 14             Panama            Miécimo da Silva Sport Complex                 3-1 W
    July 18             Argentina          João Havelange Stadium                             3-0 W
    July 20             Mexico             Maracanã Stadium                                        2-3 L
    July 23             Canada              Maracanã Stadium                                       2-1 W
    July 26             Brazil               Maracanã Stadium                                        
0-5 L

   Maracanã Stadium (pictured above) in Rio holds the official world-record attendance of  199,854 for the 1950 World Cup Final against Uruguay.

 

 

 

Twisters Take AISL Title 11-5 Over Rockford

Coach Paul Named to AISL First Team

The Massachusetts Twisters finished their tenth anniversary season in fine fashion as they defeated the Rockford Thunder 11-5, earning them their first American Indoor Soccer League championship at the Eastern States Coliseum.  MORE
 

 

 

 

 MORE FEATURES

 

 

                   

 

• Home • Staff • Training • Media • Features • Contact Us •