Williams does what comes naturally to talented keepers
The biggest moment of Dash goalkeeper Lydia Williams’ career was a few days away last June when a team doctor told her that due to a thigh injury, it would be a good idea to take a few days off and miss a game.
It might have been a good idea, but it was far from fun. Williams and Australia were set to open the 2015 Women’s World Cup against the United States.
For any female soccer player, taking the field against the Americans in the World Cup is a can’tmiss opportunity. It was different for Williams.
Williams, in her first season guarding the nets for the Dash — who host Orlando at 7:30 p.m. Friday — had spent the year leading up to the World Cup rehabilitating from a second knee reconstruction surgery.
Williams hated missing the group-stage opener, but she was not going to jeopardize her chance to play for her country on the sport’s grandest stage.
She returned for a groupstage win over Nigeria and a draw against Sweden. She made six saves in a 1-0 win over Brazil in the knockout stage.
“(Playing in the World Cup) was amazing,” said Williams, 28, who also suffered a torn knee ligament while playing in Sweden in 2012. “I didn’t believe it until the tournament was finished. Everything that had happened in the last 10 months was such a whirlwind.”
Everything feels more calm these days as Williams and her Dash teammates prepare for Friday’s home game. Like she did in the World Cup, Williams is making a great impression on Houston soccer fans.
She makes difficult saves every week, keeping the Dash in several games. Even coach Randy Waldrum has been surprised.
“I knew she was good,”
Waldrum said. “I didn’t realize she was this good. She has been fantastic for us.”
Williams showed her skill early in the season opener against Chicago. Red Stars midfielder Danielle Colaprico hit a shot from 30 yards that was headed just under the cross bar. Williams jumped to punch it over the bar.
Late in the second half last week in Washington, Spirit forward Crystal Dunn shot from the 6-yard line at the right post. Williams reacted just in time to knock it wide.
“A lot of what I do is work on consistency,” she said. “The special saves you see are already in a goalkeeper’s DNA to do that. I don’t think you can reproduce that in training or train that, really. If someone has the natural ability to do that you can nurture it and develop it. It’s kind of like a natural fluke.”
Williams has been exactly what the Dash needed after former goalkeeper and Canadian international Erin McLeod left to play in Europe. If the Dash are to qualify for the playoffs for the first time, Williams is likely to be a big reason.
The Dash are Williams’ seventh team. She hopes to experience more big moments here like she did in last summer’s World Cup.
“It has been easy to get settled in and get into a rhythm,” Williams said. “It is a very open communication we have with the coaching staff and with each other.
“Of all the places I have been playing, this has felt the most comfortable.”