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Volume 38 Issue 4
October 17, 2000

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Goalkeeper saves season
Daley’s success crucial to T-Birds

BY LEX HOHAN
MESA LEGEND
Submitted October 17, 2000

Deb Daley didn’t expect to be the starting goalkeeper  this year for MCC’s women’s soccer team.  In fact, she didn’t plan on returning to the team at all for her sophomore season so she could devote more time to maintaining her 3.95 GPA.

However,  Daley’s  plans changed  after an uplifting conversation with head coach Danny Sanchez. “He talked to me for a while and helped me get my self-esteem back up to where it needed to be,” Daley said.

“I felt that Daley worked hard in the off-season and deserved the starting position this year,” said Sanchez, who has led  MCC to an impressive 14-2-2 start. “She leads well by example and she works hard.  She’s gotten a lot better at reading the games.”

	Kim Patterson/For the MESA LEGEND
	Deb Daley, MCC's only goalkeeper, has shutout opponents a team record 13 times in 2000.

Jen De la Vega, last year’s starting goalie, did not return for her sophomore season for unknown reasons.  It was quite a surprise to the team when De la Vega was missing on the first day of practice, and it was disappointing according to teammates.

“We felt like she let the team down because she was a good keeper,” forward Heather Bobb said.

Daley stepped up as goalkeeper this season, and helped the team return to its dominating stature. She already set a new single season record for shutouts back on Oct. 5, with her 12th  in a game against  Phoenix College in only the team’s 16th contest.

She quickly added to the record in the very next game against Chandler-Gilbert Community College when the Thunderbirds humiliated the Coyotes 10-0.

Teammate Angie Spero said, “Deb stepped up and she’s been playing real well.  She’s had some excellent saves in some important games.  I couldn’t tell you what Jen De la Vega would do this season, but I’m glad we have Deb because she can step up and make the plays.”

Daley doesn’t take all the credit for her shutouts, though. She attributes much of the success to the great defense the team has played this year.

“Our defense is really good and they help me out a lot this year,” Daley said.  “Without a good defense you get shot on constantly.  They help me out with my self-esteem and confidence.”

Daley has found out that being the only goalkeeper is a lot of responsibility. “It’s kind of lonely being the only goalie. There’s no one here to back me up, and you never get a rest.  I don’t really like being the only one,” Daley said.

Even though the team would like to have a backup goalie, they seem to feel that Daley gets the job done on the field.  “She’s trying and she’s been putting her heart into it,” teammate Casandra Nelson said.

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