Aug. 11, 2017
2016 Rewind
Led by All-SEC goalkeeper Mikayla Krzeczowski, South Carolina posted the lowest single-season goals against average (0.41) in program history during its historic 2016 campaign last fall. The Gamecocks conceded just 10 goals, and their 14 shutouts marked the school’s second-most in one year. Krzeczowski notched 11 clean sheets of her own, including eight in SEC play.
Carolina, which has totaled double-digit clean sheets in three of the last four years, paced the SEC in goals against average and shutouts in 2016. The Gamecocks never allowed more than one goal in a match last year, and they were especially tough at home. Carolina outscored opponents 35-4 at Stone Stadium throughout last fall.
The Returnees
Krzeczowski enters her sophomore season this fall after turning in the best freshman goalkeeping campaign in program history last year. The Douglasville, Ga., native, who was named to the 2017 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List earlier this week, set program freshman records for shutouts (11) and wins (18) in her first season with the Gamecocks. Her SEC-leading 11 cleans sheets lead the SEC and marked the ninth-best mark in NCAA Division I.
The Carolina standout, who earned NSCAA All-South Region accolades in addition to her All-SEC First Team honors last season, notched cleans sheets in the Gamecocks’ NCAA Tournament victories over No. 20 Colorado (1-0) and No. 4 BYU. Krzeczowski’s 0.43 goals against average stands as the lowest individual mark in school history.
The Newcomers
Freshmen Alexis McMullen and Victoria Robbins mark Carolina’s additions in between the pipes. McMullen, a native of Easley, S.C., played club soccer for the Carolina Elite Soccer Academy (CESA) of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL). She helped lead CESA to the national playoffs three times and the 2012 State Championship. The keeper also played at JL Mann High School, where she tallied 23 shutouts and earned All-Region honors.
Robbins competed for HBC Impact ’98 at the club soccer level and also played at East Islip High School. The New York native served as a team captain at East Islip, leading the program to league titles and an undefeated mark in 2015.
Coach Shelley Smith’s Take
“We’re lucky to have another year of solid goalkeeping. With Mikayla coming back as an All-SEC goalkeeper, we know we will have a tremendous leader in net. She has really stepped up into her sophomore season, and she is more vocal and has a better understanding of how to organize a back line. Alexis has come in and challenged for that spot. She’s a really athletic goalkeeper, who is very good with her feet. She makes some tremendous saves, and as she’s going to be an excellent keeper as she gets into more game situations.
Victoria has also shown signs of being an excellent goalkeeper. She covers the goal quite well, and she is smart in her positioning. She’s very quick, and I’m excited to see her development once she gets healthy.”
