Keene State Women’s Soccer has done it’s job on offense this season, but without the brick wall in net, their record might be looking a little different.
Victoria Crenson, or Torrie, as her teammates call her, hasn’t let in more than one goal in a game all season, backing up her defense and supporting her offense to help lead her team to its 10-2-1 record, including an impressive 3-0 in the Little East Conference. “She’s on fire,” Head Coach Denise Lyons said.
“She’s playing great and really controlling the defense back there and has really stepped up in that starting role.”
“We really rely on Torrie, we know that she’s going to be there every save, and we don’t get nervous about her in net,” Assistant Coach and Goalie Coach Victoria Tarabelli said. Crenson started 23 games last season in her first tenure as starting goalie, posting a 1.66 goals against average with 96 saves and a .716 save percentage to go with a 13-8-1 record. This year, the team has a 0.86 G.A.A. while out-scoring their opponents 32-11 and surging toward the LEC playoffs.
Photo Illustration by Brian Cantore / Photo Editor
“Last year, we had good chemistry but we were still figuring things out. This year we found a solid team, it’s working out really well,” Crenson said.
“It’s at the point where we all know where we’re going to be, we all know what has to get done.”
She’s picked up right where she left off last year. With more confidence and more experience, she’s played a key role in the Owls eight game-winning streak, only allowing four goals during that span, while the Owls offense has put in 26.
“It’s pretty awesome,” Crenson said. “It’s great, it’s something good you can look at.”
This year, Crenson posts a 0.88 G.A.A., 43 saves, a 10-3 record, four shutouts and has played over 1,000 minutes with seven very important games left in the season.
“I’m pretty confident back there, I’m kind of the frontline for the defense,” Crenson said. “I’m losing my voice at the end of every game.”
Crenson comes from North Salem, New York, a small farm-town 50 miles north of New York City where there is no football; soccer is the sport that students thrive on during the school year.
“We grew up with soccer in North Salem, it’s definitely had a huge impact on me,” Crenson said.
Coming into the year, Crenson had been working on power steps, high balls, and coming out one-on-one. She’s made diving saves in mid-air, punching balls over the crossbar and never hesitates to play a ball out of the box.“She’s been great,” Lyons said. “She’s really stepped up her game and she’s been working really hard in practice with her coaches.”
“I think getting playing time all last year has really helped her out,” Tarabelli said.
“I think she’s more of a presence out there, she’s more of an eleventh man than just a keeper.”
Crenson has taken up a leadership role and the upperclassmen can see her confidence and her experience. She’s become more vocal on the field and it helps the team communicate more this year to reach it’s goal to get to the tournament.
“We’re very strong defensively with Torrie in goal, they are tight together and work really well as a unit and as a whole,” Lyons said.
Stephen Aruilio can be contacted at
saruilio@keene-equinox.com
