Thursday, October 22, 2009
Kansas goalkeepers Julie Hanley and Kat Liebetrau haven’t just been battling shots and crosses from other teams this year — they’ve also been competing against each other to start in every game.
Last weekend’s games marked the third time this season that coach Mark Francis has switched his starting goalkeeper. It’s a result of the tight competition that started during preseason between Hanley, a senior, and Liebetrau, a redshirt freshman.
“I don’t think either one of them at any point has made that spot purely their own to where the other hasn’t been able to challenge them,” Francis said.
Aside from an injury her junior year, Hanley has started for the Jayhawks since halfway through her freshman year. But it was Liebetrau who began this season as keeper. Hanley was recovering from an illness and an injury from the summer, so Liebetrau received the first playing time of her career. For Liebetrau, it was a moment she had long looked forward to.
“I was really excited,” she said. “With not playing at all last year, I was really anxious to get out there and play in a game.”
With Liebetrau as goalkeeper, the team started 5-0 in non-conference play. But Hanley earned the spot back in the third week of the season and kept it for the next eight games, when the team went 3-4-1 entering Big 12 play.
“She beat me out fair and square in the preseason,” Hanley said. “I think I slowly started playing the way I was able to.”
For the past two weeks, however, the two have shared equal playing time as Liebetrau started against Texas Tech and Colorado, and Hanley played most recently at Oklahoma and Baylor. Francis said Hanley would continue to start this Friday against Nebraska.
“It’s really been week-to-week,” he said. “One of them will have a really good week in training, and the other one maybe not as good.”
With the spot up for grabs each weekend, both goalkeepers have been working extra every day before practice. For Liebetrau the focus has been improving her foot skills and her ability to read games; Hanley has concentrated on improving every area of her play.
“It’s just a battle,” Liebetrau said. “I love it. It’s a good thing; it pushes both of us to work hard.”
But the inconsistency each week has taken a bit of a toll on the players. It’s certainly an adjustment from last year, when Hanley started all but one game for the Jayhawks.
“If you’re playing one week and not the next, from that aspect it can be a little frustrating and difficult,” Hanley said.
The competition stays on the field for Hanley and Liebetrau, though. Liebetrau said they have remained good friends and encouraged each other.
As for the rest of the team, the goalkeeper swapping hasn’t had a huge effect, senior Estelle Johnson said.
“We have confidence in both of them,” she said. “We do our part and expect them to do theirs.”
— Edited by Alicia Banister
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