For Colorado State, covering the goal in various ways has proven to be successful ever since the start of Mountain West play. As the Rams have just one setback in conference, a different structure in net has provided a sense of stability throughout a changing, rotating squad.
“Our last non-conference game was our opportunity to experiment a little bit,” CSU goalkeeping coach Josh Purdum said. “It worked for us because it’s two different looks; you want to give the opposition more to scout, and it’s all worked out from there.”
Working in a system with two new goalkeepers who transferred to CSU just this past spring, it calls for more work and getting used to a new system in a new environment. The story could not be truer for redshirt senior Emilie Gavillet.
Gavillet transferred from the University of Kansas where she spent four seasons participating in only 12 games throughout her time in Lawrence. Before that was her biggest transition, coming from across the pond from Montreux, Switzerland, to get a new kick out of the sport in the United States.
“The biggest difference is how athletic the U.S. is,” Gavillet said. “When I came here, I had to change my whole fitness to play much more technical. I was able to adapt pretty well in Kansas over the four years and now it’s just the standard to be fit.”
Gavillet has been splitting time in net with another redshirt athlete, junior Maddie Ogden. Ogden herself transferred from Monmouth University in New Jersey where home is for her.
While thousands of miles away herself, it’s far from what Gavillet has experienced being in a whole other culture, experience, and continent from the Swiss Alps. The two together have pushed through their home sickness, provided for one another, built chemistry, and have become a Swiss Army knife in net for the Rams.
“Neither of us have the upper-hand in experience and learning the formation, but I think that’s been good for us,” Ogden said. “It’s been exciting for us just to play even half the game.”
Gavillet and Ogden started this new two-goalie system with Purdum just before the start of conference play against UMKC and have been successful since. Numbers don’t lie in terms of the progress the two have seen since the beginning of the year.
When it was just Gavillet in net at the start of the season, the Rams conceded 10 goals in seven games. Since making the switch of systems, Colorado State has only conceded six goals in seven games. The two different strategies and utilities in net have kick-started this defensive reign for the Rams as the final whistle approaches in games.
“Towards the end of games, teams just want to put the ball in the box, and Emmie (Gavillet) does a good job of reading the game,” Purdum said. “She reads the space in behind, and once teams are pressing for a goal, she does a good job of managing that.”
Gavillet’s mental game has strengthened as well. Noticeably, she’s been more in tune with what’s going on ahead of her and able to command the 18-yard box this season. This mental strength is also thanks in part to coming from Switzerland and her background.
With experience on the Swiss National Team and Bayern Munich, Gavillet’s seen plenty in her time so far. Building up her mental toughness has also helped her succeed on the field and in a new training style for her in this new environment.
“It’s the standard for me now, second nature,” Gavillet said. “You have to be fit. Before I came here, I never weight lifted before coming to the US, never really ran how I was supposed to run.”
Now having the physical and mental traits as a goalkeeper, Gavillet only has the skills to continue on the up-and-up. It may have helped keep her in some games, including against Utah State where she collided with some Aggie players a handful of times.
Gavillet should be proud to be a Ram, to have come so far in such a short period of time. Her recognition does not go without notice, and she is getting the recognition she deserves from within her side and has been taken under the wing by so many willing Rams.
“I have a lot of respect for her (Gavillet). I don’t know if I could go overseas,” Ogden said. “She speaks three languages. I don’t have that same experience under my belt. I can imagine it’s so hard to be away from home; she doesn’t have that support system here with family, so we’ve bonded in that way.”
The two working together are the Rams’ version of the versatile device. Both are dependent and reliable with their available tools and resources, and they provide different benefits for their teammates in front.
With Ogden’s size and ability to distribute the ball alongside Gavillet’s presence to read the game and ability to close down spaces, the Rams have all they need to succeed. Eyeing for a spot in the Mountain West tournament at season’s end is the goal, and it’s certainly attainable with the two different netminders the Rams utilize in their final five games.
“We’re just looking for progress in games and in training,” Purdrum said. “They haven’t seen every possible situation yet, with the goalkeepers getting those minutes we’re looking for them to grow on that and continue to improve on that experience.”
It would have never been possible without the goalkeepers all season long. It’s just part of who they are. They also said that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” so this new system is going nowhere.
Progress. It’s been the motto for the Rams all season. It just might give the Rams hope to make a deep tournament run by the time November rolls around.
Thanks for visiting !
The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy.
We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here.
Thank you for your support!