West Wake News

Casey Murphy's performance as a goalkeeper has reached new heights in 2024, solidifying her reputation in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Since joining the league in 2019, Murphy has consistently demonstrated her skills both internationally and domestically. This year, she leads the league in prevented goals per 90 minutes.

Following her return from winning a Gold Medal at the Olympics, Murphy's statistics have been impressive. Before the Paris Games, she had an expected goals against of 19.02 but conceded only 17 goals with a save percentage of 73.85%. Post-Olympics, her expected goals against stands at 17.31, yet she has allowed just 10 goals with a save percentage of 75.61%.

Murphy expressed enthusiasm about her Olympic experience and eagerness to finish the season strongly: “The summer was exciting. It was my first Olympics, and I feel like I took a lot away from that experience."

Nathan Thackeray, Courage goalkeeper coach, attributes Murphy's success to her consistency: “She’s been extremely consistent... The biggest thing for Casey... is how consistent she is."

The stability of the Courage backline over recent seasons has also played a significant role in Murphy's performance. Thackeray emphasized the importance of this consistency: “It benefits the entire team... Their understanding of each other’s traits and their strengths and weaknesses is really important.”

Thackeray also highlighted Murphy's willingness to learn as key to her development: “The biggest thing is that she’s listened to information and applied it to her game."

During Murphy's Olympic absence, Marisa Bova excelled as a penalty shootout hero for Courage in several Summer Cup games. Thackeray believes this intra-group competition fosters growth: “I don’t think there’s any surprises that Casey has come back from the Olympics and improved her performances."

Murphy appreciates this competitive environment while focusing on self-improvement: "Mo had a wonderful summer... But with that said, I only compete against myself."

As playoffs approach, having a reliable goalkeeper like Murphy could be crucial for Courage.

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