It’s been seven weeks since Ashlyn Harris went down with a quad injury in the 23rd minute of the Orlando Pride’s away game against the Seattle Reign. Since then, backup goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe has started seven matches with the Pride. She’s made 28 saves, earned two NWSL Save of the Week wins, and even had a shot on goal.
Any team can have good starters. But in the NWSL it is important for teams to have good backups as well. Critical moments like Ashlyn Harris’ injury remind us that there always needs to be someone ready to step up, ready to take their chance, ready to help their team.
Bledsoe has taken advantage of that to the fullest. Out of those 28 saves, many of them have come in crucial moments for the team. In the run-of-play, Bledsoe managed to shut down Christen Press. She blocked a penalty shot from Sarah Killion on the road. She went one-on-one with Tori Huster and stopped her from finding the back of the net.
These little moments add up. When Harris went out with an injury, the defense could have become a weakness for the Pride. Instead, it continued to be a point of strength. Bledsoe’s saves translate into wins. They translate into points, which helps her team climb the table.
Backup goalkeepers don’t always get a lot of attention. But they are critical to being a successful club. They train for these moments; they calm the nerves of anxious supporters and let the opposing teams know that this changes nothing. Even though Bledsoe will likely step aside in the coming weeks for Harris’ return, she has done that for the Pride.
“It was great to be back in the goal,” Bledsoe said after her first start. “I’ve just been waiting for an opportunity and hoping that whenever the team would need me, I’d be able to step in and help us win.”
I think it’s safe to say, she certainly has.
