Every save means one less goal in the back of the net. For junior Riley Powell, saves couldn’t be any more important. So far this season, Powell has only allowed 14 goals past him out of 72 shot attempts making him the 406th goalkeeper in the nation in saves. Powell has literally been playing since he could walk, starting at the early age of three. Surprisingly Powell didn’t start off as a goalkeeper until one day at practice he stepped in.
“I used to play center back and my team didn’t have a goalkeeper, so I jumped in goal, and ever since that first save, I just fell in love with being in goal and stopping shots,” Powell said.
To Powell, soccer is more than a game; it is a huge motivation for his life and a key factor in his motivation.
“Soccer is just something I can always go to when I’m not feeling the best and I have made a lot of friends from the game. My teammates mostly like it when they make a big tackle; it gives me the motivation to do my best,” Powell said.
Head coach John Blake feels Riley is a key leader to the team’s glory.
“Riley is a vocal leader and an aggressive player with good motor and energy and he wants to do what is best for the team. I expect him to get better every game and continue to raise his standard and continue to help his teammates improve,” Blake said.
Powell’s motivation, leadership, stamina and love for the game are all key factors for the success of the Titans soccer team. Since Powell is only a junior, we can expect a lot more saves from him in the near future.
Fun Facts:
Favorite artist: Ian
Favorite food: Fried chicken
The sport he would play if not soccer: Football kicker
Favorite athlete: Manuel Neuer