[FOUR THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT …] Utah has emerged as fertile ground for women’s talent. North Carolina sophomore KealiaOhai is a forward on the U.S. U-20 women’s national team that qualified for the 2012 world championships in Japan. One of the forwards on the U-17 national team seeking to reach the 2012 worldchampionships in Azerbaijan is Utah Avalanche’s Emily Bruder. For four things to know about Bruder …
STANFORD’S FABFIVE. Bruder is part of a group of five U.S. under-17 national team players who are high school juniors and have verbally committed to Stanford. StephanieAmack, Amber Munerlyn, Jane Campbell and Madeline Bauer also have plansto join the Cardinal in 2013.
SOARING EAGLE STAR. Bruder, a junior, is already is the all-time leading goal scorer at Juan Diego Catholic with 87. Thetwo-time Salt Lake Tribune Class 3A Player of the Year led Soaring Eagle to the Utah Class 3A semifinals with 26 goals, including seven in three postseason games.
LEFT-FOOTED GOLAZO. Bruder came off the bench in the second half to score the second goal with a great individual effort in the U-17s’ 2-0 win over their German counterparts inFebruary. She won the ball near the right sideline, dribbled toward the middle of the 18-yard box and curled a shot into the upper left corner with her left foot. She then started two games for theU-17s in March at the Ten Nations Tournament in Spain.
AVALANCHE LEAVES MARK. Girls soccer is big in Utah. There were 56seniors who signed national letters of intent in February. Fourteen of the college-bound seniors play for Bruder’s Utah Avalanche. Besides Bruder, Avalanche products Ohai and Elli Reed spent the winter with national teams. Ohai helped the USA qualify for the 2012 Under-17 World Cup, and Reed, who attends Portland, played for the U-23 national team.