This week, the U.S Women’s National Team will play two friendly matches against Switzerland. The first match will be played on Wednesday, October 19th, at Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. The second match will be played on Sunday, October 23rd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Much of the focus of these two matches will be on building a team for the future-- the 23-player roster features 11 players who are receiving their first national team call-up, including NWSL MVP Lynn Williams and Dash superstar Kealia Ohai. Head Coach Jill Ellis wants to bring in younger talent, and start to work with a squad that will be competitive for the 2019 World Cup.
Orlando Pride Goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris was called in for these friendlies, and of the two matches, she will likely be chosen to start in at least one. Since the suspension of Hope Solo, Harris has been competing alongside Chicago Red Stars Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher for the starting role. For these friendlies, Ellis also brought in Stanford Goalkeeper Jane Campbell.
With no major tournaments until the World Cup in 2019, the U.S Women’s National Team is looking to the future. This is a time to bring in new faces and experiment with new ideas. For the players, it is a chance to make an impression and shape their own destinies.
Harris has proven herself at the club level all season, being selected as the NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year. With a save percentage of 76%, she won the NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year an astounding eight times. Aside from her club play, Harris has been a devoted member of the national team for years, representing the senior national team since 2009, while playing for the U-17, U-19, and U-21 national teams. She hasn’t gotten a lot of playing times, often playing second string to Hope Solo, but she has been there when her team needed her.
Now, Harris has a chance to grab a hold of that starting position for the national team. She has already earned her title as a respected and devoted player-- now we’ll see what she can do for them between the posts.
