Syracuse goalkeeper excited to work with gold-medal winning coach

By: Kevin Ware

Posted: 8/27/08

If there ever was a reason for buying into a new coach's system, Eliza Bennett-Hatton has it.

It was new Syracuse head coach Phil Wheddon who guided the well-publicized and much-scrutinized Hope Solo to a gold-medal goalkeeping performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics for the USA women's soccer team.

As the goalkeeper coach for the national team, Wheddon steered the talented Solo against Brazil in the gold-medal match Aug. 21 that the U.S. won, 1-0, in overtime.

As the Syracuse women's soccer team gathered to watch its new head coach win gold, the whole team knew an excellent teacher would be returning to school. For Bennett-Hatton, SU's goalkeeper, the chance of a lifetime could be resting in her hands.

"Obviously it's one of the best opportunities right now for any goalkeeper anywhere," she said.

She's right. Most goalkeepers would jump through the crossbar for the chance to learn from the coach who just polished the most talented goalkeeper in the United States.

"I think (I'm feeling) privileged and a little nervous," Bennett-Hatton said. "There's a lot to compare to - he's going to be looking for things in me; he's been training national team goalkeepers."

Bennett-Hatton, a junior, has not spent any time working with Wheddon yet, because he has been in Beijing training and competing with the national team.

While the two have talked, the information Wheddon can expound onto Bennett-Hatton leaves the goalkeeper anticipating his arrival, but still she insists it isn't making her nervous.

"With the information he can provide to her, I feel like it's endless," said Robyn Pepicelli, who has been the acting head coach while Wheddon has been away. "It'll be whatever she can take in and contribute. It's going to take a lot of hard work, but she has a great work ethic. The opportunity for her, it'll be endless."

Bennett-Hatton will still be worked the most by Katie Ely, the goalkeeper coach for Syracuse, but Wheddon's presence will always be felt.

With the right amount of work, Bennett-Hatton should be able to improve on her numbers from her freshman and sophomore seasons in which she started every game she played. In her first two seasons in goal, she has allowed 1.06 goals per game, while racking up 179 saves.

While Bennett-Hatton is capable of making a spectacular save at any given time, but the word consistency is thrown around when Pepicelli and Ely are asked what she needs to improve on. It was her consistency, or lack thereof, that landed her sixth out of ten in save percentage (.819) but also found her second in saves (104) among a talented roster of Big East goalkeepers last season.

"I think we're just trying to make sure she's trying to stay at the level that we know she can play at and be consistent," Ely said. "And making sure when she steps onto the field she's bringing her best game every day and every practice."

With a solid showing last Friday in the 3-1 season-opening win against Albany, signs appear to be pointed up for Bennett-Hatton. She recorded four saves with her only blemish coming in the sixth minute when the Great Danes' Ashley Tirabassi scored on a header off a corner kick.

"One of the things about her is she does keep getting better," said sophomore forward Megan Bellingham. "I think as she gets older she's realizing she needs to be a leader on this team, and I think she's done a great job of that, of being just a positive person on the field. So I really have a lot of respect for her in that aspect."

Now as Wheddon returns to the sidelines for the Orange on Friday when Syracuse takes on William & Mary in Harrisonburg, Va., the process of working with Bennett-Hatton gets thrown into full speed.

"It's a great opportunity for her to learn from the best," Bellingham said. "You know, I do have all the confidence in the world she's going to grow as a player. So I think she'll definitely take advantage of this opportunity."

kjware@syr.edu