Coming into the first summer pickup game with her new team, Texas A&M freshman Liz Keester heard all about how much faster the game was in college and how the talent was so much better. She heard about it, but walking away from that pickup game, she was still stunned.
“I was blown away by how talented everyone was,” Keester says. “You always hear about it, but to play with them, it’s a completely different story.”
Last weekend in the SEC Tournament, Keester scored three of the Aggie’s five goals, including a 25-yard blast that ended up being the game-winner and championship-clinching goal. Keester was named Tournament MVP after her outstanding performance.
“I was definitely surprised,” Keester says. “There are so many talented players in the conference and on my team. The girls on my team did most of the work on the goals, I was just there to tap them in.”
Texas A&M head coach G Guerrieri is used to seeing top freshmen performances. Two years ago as a freshman, current Aggie junior Kelley Monogue was Big 12 offensive player of the year as well as the Big 12 Tournament MVP. Even though he has seen it before, the A&M coach isn’t getting tired of it.
“It’s fun to see someone, as a freshman, emerge to score some big goals at the right time,” Guerrieri says. “She’s always been a big game player and a goal scorer.”
The Texas A&M program is making its 19th straight tournament appearance, and with young players like Keester constantly coming into the fold, the program doesn’t look like it will slow down anytime soon.
“The players take a lot of pride in the legacy of the players that came before them and the tradition of winning,” Guerrieri says.
The Aggies have a reputation for one of the best player development programs in the country, and that’s something Guerrieri and his fellow coaches are extremely proud of.
“The cool thing is, she is only going to improve from this point on,” Guerrieri says. “She is going to get smarter and more sophisticated in the way she plays. As she matures physically, she will become a much more difficult person to stop.”
Though Keester has had nearly a fairy-tale year, she is quick to credit her teammates and the bonds she has created.
“Our team is really like a family, and everything I can do to help the family is what I am happy doing,” Keester says.
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