Online Edition Thursday, July 18, 2002
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She's a keeper
By BILL KIPOURAS Staff writer Ashley Phillips has realized the soccer thrill of a lifetime. If you're a youth soccer person, it's akin to the first step on a climb to Olympus. It's the stamp of approval on her extraordinary promise. The 16-year-old goalkeeper from West Peabody is overwhelmed, and who can blame her? She's just been named to the U.S. National Under-16 soccer team that will gather for a 10-day training camp in Houston, Texas, starting July 24. She's one of three keepers on the roster, said US coach Steve Swanson. Phillips, who is transferring to Milton Academy after a phenomenal 21-1 Division 2 North title run at Bishop Fenwick, was almost speechless when Swanson announced her selection as one of three players from Region 1 who were named to the U-16 national pool. The incredible storyline here is that Phillips made the '86 State Team (for players born in 1986), Region 1 squad and the U.S. U-16 roster in a one year's time frame. "I was at the I.D. Camp at the University of Rhode Island. There were probably 400 kids, maybe 30-40 keepers there, hoping to make the Region 1 team. When Swanson said at the closing ceremony that I was one of the girls picked, it was one of the biggest shocks of my life," Phillips said. "I had done well when our team, the Mass. Selects, won the Rider Cup at Rider College in New Jersey. It was the first time a Massachusetts team had won the Rider. I played in all five games, two full and three about 60 percent, and gave up only one goal. Our whole team went to the regional camp at URI, but I ended up playing only one night (managing a shutout), but I was nervous about sitting out twice. "I asked our coach, Nancy Feldman (of BU) about it and she said they told her they had seen enough of me in training. I guess it was understandable that I was nervous (about making the Region 1 team). I would have been thrilled just to make the regional pool." Adding to Phillips' excitement is wearing a Team USA uniform. Also, the prospect of playing against Mexico's U-18 team and a Region 1 Eastern team that will include one her of best friends, Meghann Cook, a former Fenwick teammate who is now a sophomore at Boston University, is also enticing. The 5-foot-8 Phillips had a sensational sophomore year, a goals against average of 0.62 and 12 shutouts as Fenwick stormed to the Div. 2 North title in a memorable 2-1 overtime victory over Masconomet. Displaying a flare for the dramatic, Phillips became a field player in the dying minutes and scored the tying goal with two minutes left in regulation to force overtime. For the record, she was a unanimous choice for the U.S. U-16 roster, according to Jeff Pill, a member of the national coaching staff and an assistant on the U.S. 16s. He was involved in the selection process. "Ashley was very solid technically," Pill said. "She handled the ball very well. Athletically, she was strong for the position. She seemed to make good decisions and was very composed. When you add up all those components, that's a pretty complete picture." Pill said it was the first time he had seen Phillips. "She was in a pretty competitive environment (at URI) with the best skilled players in the region and competed quite well in that pressure environment. I've been involved in this since '95. There haven't been that many (from Massachusetts)," he said. He recalled Tracy Ducar of North Andover, the champion U.S. National player and current member of the WUSA's Boston Breakers, who was on an U-21 club about six years ago. He also mentioned Jen Mead from Mass. on a national youth team, as well as Maggie Tomecka, who was from the Worcester area and performed on the U-18s. As it was, Phillips was slated for a busy summer even before the national honor was bestowed on her. She had a commitment with the state senior women's team at the U.S. Soccer Festival in Houston and was slated to play for her club team, the Spirit of Mass., at the Surf Cup in San Diego. This was Phillips' first year with the Spirit of Mass. after five seasons with the Northeast Futbol Club. Phillips, who had a 3.2 GPA at Fenwick, said she didn't get serious about soccer until her freshman high school year, but those expectations were about playing Division 1 college soccer some day. "I got great exposure with the Spirit of Mass. and I've had a lot of colleges (Stanford, Notre Dame, et al) write me," she said. "I have to give a lot of credit to Mario Filardo of Salem. He used be the men's goalie coach at Salem State and coached me for two years. He refined my skills, sharpened up everything. He probably improved my diving techniques most of all." She also credited Fenwick coach Jose Isidro for her development. Isidro said it was obvious to him when Phillips was in an U-12, and an U-14, that she was ticketed for the Div. 1 college ranks. "It was written all over her even then," Isidro said. "Now she's in a feeder program that could lead (in the future) to Mia Hamm's league. "She's big, she's fast, athletic and has agility. She can jump, run, and, God willing, if she stays healthy, keeps working hard and enjoys it, there's nothing but stars ahead for her. "For a goalkeeper, she's it. If you wanted to sketch a model for what you're looking in a well-rounded keeper, you can't draw anyone better than her. She backbones the team and can switch the point of attack with her long throws. She can create a counterattack right away. And if you want a goal with two minutes to go, you take her out of the net." Earlier this year Phillips was the guest goalie for the Boston Renegades of the W1 League, a high profile amateur league of top-rated collegians. Her soccer stock has now reached the U.S. market. |
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