Last post-season, one player from Walpole was responsible for nearly 300 minutes of play without letting in a single goal. Throughout this season, this player saved more than 140 shots and only allowed a total of 7. Her save rate consistently remained around an impressive 97%. For all of her success this season, the Rebels won the Herget Championship after their tie against Dedham, and she was named Bay State League First Team All Star. Tonight at 7pm at Turco Field, junior Kaitlin Brown leads #5 seeded Walpole Girls Soccer against #12 seeded Marshfield.
During Walpole’s cinderella tournament run last year, Brown played a crucial role in the team’s success. She defended the net for 296 minutes, without letting a single shot past her. When #19 seeded Walpole had to face #14 Plymouth South in the first round of the tournament, the result of the game came down to the nerve-racking penalty kicks. Brown saved 2 shots, which was enough to help lead Walpole to victory. In the next game, which also came down to penalty kicks, the combination of Brown’s four saves and now senior Captain Ashley Levya’s winning shot, Walpole beat #3 Oliver Ames.
Over the course of this season, Brown has had several note-worthy games, specifically games against Newton North, Needham, Wellesley, and Natick. Against Newton North on September 2, they won 2-0 and Brown saved a total of 7 shots. This game definitely set the tone for the season, for of the 18 regular season games, they shut out the opposing teams in 11 of them.
Facing Needham on September 9, 2014, Brown saved twenty shots, her highest total for this year. Later on September 12, 2014, the Rebels faced Natick, one of Walpole’s biggest rivals. After the first half of this game, the score stood at 0-0, and Brown’s saves had been the highlight of the game. The game was almost over, and Walpole expected to end with a tie, but Sophomore Tayla Randall managed to score a goal with less than a minute left in the game to notch another shut-out victory for Brown.
Brown accomplished one of her biggest feats of the season – a three consecutive shut out streak against teams that included Milton and Wellesley. As if this feat was not enough, Brown also saved a total of 32 shots in these three games alone.
Brown’s goalie career started in the third grade, when she was the only girl on her youth team who volunteered to be in net. As the youngest of three siblings, Brown grew up defending the net in her back yard where her older sister Michaela Brown (2012 graduate) practiced her penalty shots.
“Being the youngest sibling taught me to stand my ground and I learned how to defend both myself and the soccer net,” said Brown. “I think my need to stand up against my older siblings contributes to my competitiveness in the net.”
Other than soccer, Brown plays basketball in the winter. Last year, as a sophomore she started as a post player on varsity. Brown is also the secretary of Best Buddies. Since fifth grade, she has been close friends with Best Buddy Noelle Borchart.
“We were in the same class, and we sat next to each other,” said Brown. Hence, when Brown came to high school, she joined the Best Buddies Club; now as the secretary for the club, she controls the social media aspect of Best Buddies and advertises for new members. Currently, she is an individual buddy with Allie Iannoni.
“It’s a fun club for everyone involved. You can tell students really like it because they say hi to all members in the hallways, and they are always looking forward to events and seeing everyone,” said Brown.
Although only a junior, Brown is already looking to continue her soccer career in college.
“I hope to play soccer in college,” says Brown. “My favorite schools as of right now are Stonehill, Providence College, Marist, and Saint Anselms.”
With more than 140 saves, 11 shutouts, and a save rate of 97%, throughout the regular season – junior Herget All Star Kaitlin Brown defends the net for Walpole Girls Soccer tonight at 7pm at Turco against Marshfield.
