Cowgirls welcome back experienced group of goalkeepers
LARAMIE -- The positional group isn’t overly crowded. But what it lacks in numbers, it makes up for with playing experience.
The University of Wyoming soccer team won’t lack maturity in net this season. While only a few are present on the roster, most have participated in significant playing time over their career.
Hannah Lee leads the group. The senior from Las Vegas, Nevada, has played and started every match for the Cowgirls the last two seasons.
“Hannah, being more seasoned, brings confidence and leadership and a little bit of swagger,” head coach Colleen Corbin said.
In addition to being a mainstay in net for the Cowgirls the last couple of years, Lee burst onto the scene as a freshman. She laid claim to a record of 7-2-2 and a GAA of .94, which is the fourth-best single-season mark in program history.
Two more seasons of stout play has Lee owning a GAA of 1.24, which is seventh-best all-time in school history. In all, Lee boasts 130 saves and a 12-8-4 record.
Lee comes equipped with a wealth of experience for the Cowgirls, as they embark in a new chapter of Wyoming soccer under Corbin, who’s in her first year on the job. Corbin played goalkeeper at Oregon State University and was a two-time All-American with the Beavers. She understands the position more than most and knows what it takes to be successful.
“First and foremost, with any goalkeeper I’ve ever worked with, the No. 1 priority is unity,” Corbin said. “Unity is the first piece, and luckily I think this group of three is already there in that sense. They get along really well. They hype each other up.”
Alex Daws is another one in that hype group. She saw the field quite a bit a season ago. The redshirt junior out of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, participated in eight games, and acquitted herself quite well, making 26 saves with a GAA of 1.45 in 372 minutes of play.
Sophomore Allison Mills rounds out the goalkeeping position at UW. The Southlake, Texas, product didn’t play in the spring, but will give the Cowgirls depth ahead of the fall season.
“Everything is open, and everything is up for grabs,” Corbin said. “All three of them are working to compete, and I don’t think there’s a genuine frontrunner right now, which is exciting. It’s a good spot to be in.”
Wyoming begins the season with an exhibition at Kansas State on Sunday before its regular-season opener at home against Colorado School of Mines on Aug. 20.
* University of Wyoming press release
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