Issue date: 10/28/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Adalto Nascimento Sac State goalkeeper Savannah Abercrombie defends the goal during Sunday's game against Idaho State. [Click to enlarge]

Goalkeeper Savannah Abercrombie, sophomore business administration major, has played a big part in the Sacramento State women's soccer team's success this season.

So far, Savannah Abercrombie has won the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week three times and she has 72 saves. She also has seven shutouts against teams the likes of Cal, Fresno State and the University of Pacific. Abercrombie gives up an average of less than one goal a game. She already holds the school record for career shutouts with 15.

Head coach Randi Dedini said the coaching staff has noticed her determination and passion for soccer is paying off.

"We always knew she had the potential to be this kind of goalkeeper," he said. "She worked hard this summer to fix some of the technical mistakes she's made in the past."

Savannah Abercrombie said she did not always think she was talented enough to end up being a collegiate athlete, until her under-18 club soccer head coach encouraged her to continue to play soccer after high school.

She said that she hit a point in her life where she had to decide if she really wanted to pursue soccer.

"You get to a certain level where you know either you're going to play or just going to play for fun, once you're done with club you're just going to go and enjoy college," Savannah Abercrombie said. "I always wanted to play in college. It's every girl's dream to play professional soccer."

Savannah Abercrombie started playing soccer at the age of 7. She was already playing baseball, basketball and nearly every little league sport she could play when she started to play soccer. Abercrombie said the rest of her family played baseball, basketball and football, but she was the only one with an interest in soccer.

She said she began playing soccer because she always enjoyed participating in games during recess. She ended up joining the same team her friends played on, and did not become a goalkeeper until she was 12 or 13 years old.

While attending El Camino High School in Sacramento, she gave up basketball in order to focus solely on soccer.

"It got to the point where I wasn't going to play basketball my junior year and soccer," she said. "I had to make the decision, and I loved soccer to death."

Savannah Abercrombie said one reason she chose soccer over basketball was because she considered basketball a sport she could play for fun, while soccer was something she saw herself doing in the future. She was also playing on a club team she liked, the River City Clash, with a coach she had a lot of fun playing for.

"My club team and I, we always traveled. We'd go on college trips we called 'the odyssey,'" she said. "I think those were some of my best soccer memories."

Savannah Abercrombie got her first chance to start for the Hornets last season when junior goalkeeper Mandy Trojan was forced to sit out due to an injury.

She played so well in Trojan's absence that Dedini unexpectedly had an open competition for the starting job between the pipes over the summer.

"We didn't know she was going to be our No. 1 goalkeeper coming into this season. We knew coming off of this last spring a lot was going to depend on how they looked over the summer," he said. "Savannah's done great and there's been no reason to take her out."

Cindy Abercrombie, her mother, said her daughter worked hard during the off-season with goalkeeper coach Maureen Whitney in order to prepare for this season.

Cindy Abercrombie said her daughter's own mental blocks are the only thing that can prevent her from succeeding.

"I think she loves the game. She is extremely competitive and has a good work ethic," she said. "She is her own worst enemy."

Savannah Abercrombie said a lot of her success has come from working hard on whatever she has needed to improve on.

"I think what helped me out a lot was constantly working on everything and pushing myself regardless of the days when I'm tired and don't want to do things," she said. "Regardless of what sport you play working on your weaknesses can always make you better."

In 2008, Savannah Abercrombie started the last 12 games for the Hornets and she recorded eight shutouts. This season, she has started and finished all but one of Sac State's 17 games.

Cindy Abercrombie said she loves watching the Hornets work together on the soccer field.

"I think it's a team effort," she said. "They all work really hard and have a good chemistry with each other."

With two more years of eligibility, Savannah Abercrombie said she is excited to have plenty of chances to start for the Hornets.

She said that she is still amazed she made the soccer team.

"Just being on the team is a big privilege. Not everyone gets to play college soccer," Savannah Abercrombie said.


Jeondra Arrington can be reached at jarrington@statehornet.com

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