Photo by: Dean Hare/Washington State Unive
Howard named co-Player of the Week
10/15/2019 1:29:00 PM | Soccer
Call it the Claire Effect, the sense of calm and belief that everything will be all right when Montana's goalkeeper is in net and the ball goes live.
No matter the storms that come -- in quick, often unexpected strikes, as they tend to do in soccer -- Claire Howard, the last line of defense, almost always has things under control.
"It's amazing. Every time the ball goes remotely close to our goal, I'm thinking, we're good, Claire is in the goal," says junior forward Alexa Coyle.
"She's an incredible player and incredible leader and captain. She's what every field player would want in a goalkeeper. I trust her 100 percent."
And why wouldn't the Grizzlies have that level of belief? Through five Big Sky Conference matches, Howard has allowed a single goal, by Idaho State on a midfield turnover and semi-breakaway.
That's one goal allowed over 470 minutes, or a goals-against average of 0.19. Her save percentage of .947 in league also tops the Big Sky.
Both numbers improved over the weekend, when she posted career shutouts No. 22 and 23 as Montana picked up four points on its road trip to Northern Arizona and Southern Utah.
For her efforts, Howard was named on Tuesday the Big Sky co-Defensive Player of the Week, an award she shared with Eastern Washington's Kelsee Winston, who also posted two shutouts on the road.
Howard made three saves in Montana's 1-0 victory at Northern Arizona on Friday night, NAU's only home loss this season in five matches at Lumberjack Stadium.
In Northern Arizona's other four home matches, which includes a 2-0 bounce-back victory over Northern Colorado on Sunday, the Lumberjacks have scored 12 goals.
"When we went up 1-0, they changed a bit and started pushing harder," said coach Chris Citowicki. "They had two good looks, and who's there making a sick save but Claire Howard.
"It's the same story every week. You can put money on her saving those."
Howard did it again on Sunday, making four saves in Montana's 0-0 draw at Southern Utah.
With 23 career shutouts, Howard is within one of Kailey Norman's program record of 24, set while she played from 2013-16. Her goals-against average of 0.90 is right in line with Norman's record of 0.91.
Considering Howard is only a junior, the Big Sky Conference record of 29 shutouts, set by Sacramento State's Savannah Abercrombie (2008-11), is also on notice.
The Claire Effect will be put to the test this weekend when first-place Montana (5-5-4, 4-0-1 BSC) plays its final home matches of the season, against Sacramento State and Portland State.
The Hornets (8-1-5, 2-0-3 BSC) will enter Friday's game on a 13-match unbeaten streak. They lead the Big Sky in scoring by a healthy margin and have been shut out just once this season in 14 matches.
Portland State (4-10-0, 3-2-0 BSC) is off to a 3-2-0 start in league.
Montana will face Sacramento State on Friday at 3 p.m., Portland State at noon on Sunday.
No matter the storms that come -- in quick, often unexpected strikes, as they tend to do in soccer -- Claire Howard, the last line of defense, almost always has things under control.
"It's amazing. Every time the ball goes remotely close to our goal, I'm thinking, we're good, Claire is in the goal," says junior forward Alexa Coyle.
"She's an incredible player and incredible leader and captain. She's what every field player would want in a goalkeeper. I trust her 100 percent."
And why wouldn't the Grizzlies have that level of belief? Through five Big Sky Conference matches, Howard has allowed a single goal, by Idaho State on a midfield turnover and semi-breakaway.
That's one goal allowed over 470 minutes, or a goals-against average of 0.19. Her save percentage of .947 in league also tops the Big Sky.
Both numbers improved over the weekend, when she posted career shutouts No. 22 and 23 as Montana picked up four points on its road trip to Northern Arizona and Southern Utah.
For her efforts, Howard was named on Tuesday the Big Sky co-Defensive Player of the Week, an award she shared with Eastern Washington's Kelsee Winston, who also posted two shutouts on the road.
Howard made three saves in Montana's 1-0 victory at Northern Arizona on Friday night, NAU's only home loss this season in five matches at Lumberjack Stadium.
In Northern Arizona's other four home matches, which includes a 2-0 bounce-back victory over Northern Colorado on Sunday, the Lumberjacks have scored 12 goals.
"When we went up 1-0, they changed a bit and started pushing harder," said coach Chris Citowicki. "They had two good looks, and who's there making a sick save but Claire Howard.
"It's the same story every week. You can put money on her saving those."
Howard did it again on Sunday, making four saves in Montana's 0-0 draw at Southern Utah.
With 23 career shutouts, Howard is within one of Kailey Norman's program record of 24, set while she played from 2013-16. Her goals-against average of 0.90 is right in line with Norman's record of 0.91.
Considering Howard is only a junior, the Big Sky Conference record of 29 shutouts, set by Sacramento State's Savannah Abercrombie (2008-11), is also on notice.
The Claire Effect will be put to the test this weekend when first-place Montana (5-5-4, 4-0-1 BSC) plays its final home matches of the season, against Sacramento State and Portland State.
The Hornets (8-1-5, 2-0-3 BSC) will enter Friday's game on a 13-match unbeaten streak. They lead the Big Sky in scoring by a healthy margin and have been shut out just once this season in 14 matches.
Portland State (4-10-0, 3-2-0 BSC) is off to a 3-2-0 start in league.
Montana will face Sacramento State on Friday at 3 p.m., Portland State at noon on Sunday.
Players Mentioned
Friday, June 19
Thursday, June 04
Friday, May 01
Friday, May 01
