Haley Kopmeyer is no stranger to Seattle.
Every day for five seasons she ate, slept and trained among Seattle Reign FC until she got the call on Jan. 29 that she had been traded.
Her new destination: Orlando, Fla. - Home of the Orlando Pride.
Since joining the Pride, Kopmeyer has taken on the role as the backup to U.S. WNT goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris.
But with Harris on duty with the national team, Kopmeyer was called upon to make the start for the Pride in the very town she got her start: Seattle.
“Being back here just kind of felt like old times,” Kopmeyer said after the 0-0 result. “Stepping out on that field it didn’t feel too long ago that I was out there on the other side.”
The known jokester of the team elicited a few laughs when she stated that upon arrival to the pitch she needed a teammate to point her in the right direction and remain with the correct team.
“You know I stayed on my end,” Kopmeyer joked. “I asked Alanna [Kennedy] where I was supposed to go, she made it very clear and I tried to stay on the correct side of the field.”
Kopmeyer’s homecoming was further highlighted by the five saves she made to record her 12th career clean sheet and the Pride’s fourth of the season.
Earlier this season Kopmeyer shared that “One of the things I wanted to work on before I got here and something I knew that [goalkeeper coach Lloyd Yaxley] could really help to bring out the best of me in is breakaways and those quick reaction saves.”
That targeted work with Yaxley proved to be crucial for Kopmeyer when Seattle forward Jordie Taylor stripped the ball away from Kennedy, leaving her one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Kopmeyer came out confidently and stepped up big for the Pride with a kick-save.
Then again she preserved the scoreline, blocking Nahomi Kawasumi’s shot from distance on a fast break.
This season’s training on quick reaction saves with Yaxley would prove vital yet again for Kopmeyer when Kawasumi blasted the ball towards goal in the 51st minute.
From deep in the net Kopmeyer shifted and dove towards the ball, punching it safely over the crossbar, a save that earned her the NWSL’s Save of the Week.
Kopmeyer’s saves helped the Pride extend their Club record five-game road unbeaten streak.
“At the end of the day we’re happy to get a point on the road and keep our good away form going,” Kopmeyer finished.
