The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Soccer’s Smith in Norway with U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team
05.26.2015 | Soccer
Squad is participating in Four Nationa Tournament over May 27-31 that also includes Norway, Sweden & England
AUSTIN, Texas — Rising Texas senior goalkeeper Abby Smith is headed back into action with the U.S. Under-23 Women's National Team by traveling to Norway for the Four Nations Tournament over May 27-31 against Norway, Sweden and England.
Smith and rising Stanford junior Jane Campbell are listed as the lone goalkeepers on the U.S. Under-23 roster.
Team USA will begin its event in Fredrikstad on Wed., May 27, against Sweden before facing Norway in Sarpsborg on Fri., May 29. The U.S. will conclude its stay by battling England in Fredrikstad on Sun., May 31.
The Red, White & Blue's 22-player roster includes 19 collegiate players in addition to three current professionals, all of whom currently play outside the United States: Daphne Corboz (Manchester City), Chioma Ubogagu (Arsenal) and Kate Stengel (Bayern Munich). Smith joined Ubogagu and Stengel as part of the U.S. U-20 team that won the championship at the 2012 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup in Japan.
In her most recent international action on the pitch, Smith helped the U.S. Under-23 squad to the crown at the La Manga Tournament in La Manga, Spain, over Feb. 26-March 2, 2015. She started and played all 90 minutes in goal during wins over Japan (1-0) and England (2-1), making five combined saves with one clean sheet.
Back in March of 2014, she was part of the U.S. U-23 squad that won the 2014 Six Nations Tournament title also in La Manga, Spain. The Plano, Texas, native made five stops, while playing all 90 minutes between the pipes, during a 1-0 victory over Japan and one save in Team USA's 2-1 triumph over Norway.
Previously in March of 2013, she helped the Under-23 WNT sweep the competition at the 2013 Four Nations Tournament. Her shutout victory against Sweden and her three-save performance against England allowed the USA squad to claim the crown.
Both a 2014 first-team National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/Continental Tire All-Central Region and All-Big 12 Conference choice, Smith posted yet another tremendous campaign between the pipes as a junior in helping the Longhorns to an 11-8-4 record and a NCAA Second Round berth. During the year, she started 22 of 23 possible matches, registered a 0.92 goals-against-average, and with nine shutouts, equaled former Texas keeper Dianna Pfenninger's single-season record for shutouts established back in 2008. Smith also led the Big 12 with 98 saves, a mark that proved good enough to rate sixth all-time in a single campaign in UT program history.
