Q: What about TST makes it so exciting to play in and watch?

A: I've been saying that TST is probably one of the coolest things that's happened to the sport. It brings together such a huge community of soccer fans and soccer players from all over. It’s brought out a bunch of retired legends who are now in this smaller and intimate 7v7 space that is full of action. 7v7 is such a different environment in general, and, in my opinion, is so much more fun to watch and play in than 11v11 because there is more action and it's so fast-paced.

I would say the “Target Score Time” rule is incredible and one of the most unique things that soccer has seen. It makes every game exciting and fun to play in because you never know how it's gonna end. Ending on a goal is the best way to end a soccer match. Buzzer beaters in basketball are always the best, and so is a match ending on a goal.

Playing for U.S. Women and Heather O’Reilly allowing me to be on this team has been amazing. I never in a million years would have thought I would play alongside these National Team legends. For me, it is so cool to watch and play in this tournament because I get to learn from the best, and that is just so much fun for me. I thank Heather all the time for just allowing me to be a part of this.

Q: As a TST icon who has had so many stellar performances in your first two tournaments, what do you think has been key to your success in goal?

A: First of all, I don't know if I would go as far as “icon,” but I appreciate that. I would say one thing about my skillset that allows me to do well in these games is my athleticism and reaction time. It’s so cool having this group of U.S. Women legends instilling so much confidence in everyone. Our team environment is so positive and so fun-loving! We're just here to have fun and compete. One thing that we all have in common is appreciating and all helping to create an environment where we can feel confident and still have fun doing it while not having the pressure of letting people down. All of that is what makes this so special and what has pushed us to succeed previously in this tournament.

I also want to add that I have so much extra motivation wearing the U.S. Women crest because I want to do well for my teammates who have helped pave the way in women’s soccer in the U.S. I really want to make them proud and happy by winning.

Q: With this being your third straight year with U.S. Women, what, if anything, about this year’s team is different?

A: I would say in our third year we're definitely way more prepared. I would say what's different this year is everyone is way more intentional and focused about what we're doing. We had three trainings prior to the tournament as opposed to one training in previous years. We've gone over tactics and had PowerPoints. We've also added some amazing players this year that are really gonna help us win. I'm excited to get on the field with them! Tune in because it's gonna be so fun to watch!