After four stops and more than 15 hours in the air, Lydia Williams is in goal for the Houston Dash this preseason. The Australian goalkeeper was with the national team that secured a spot in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games by going undefeated in the 2016 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Williams spent the last year with Canberra United, reaching the semifinal round of the playoffs in January. Despite the short offseason, Williams is excited to get her first week of training under her belt.
“It will be a pretty quick transition,” Williams said about acclimating to a new environment. “It was a good first week and it gave me an opportunity to see where everyone is at as we prepare for the new season.”
The goalkeeper won’t have too much time to settle in due to a week-long preseason tournament with the Dash later this month. Williams embraces the trip due to the time she can spend with her teammates and the competition the Dash will face in the round-robin tournament.
“We want to come away with three wins,” Williams said. “This is a chance to see how the team will shape up and get the results that we need moving forward. On top of that, it gives everyone time to gel on and off the field.”
Dash head coach Randy Waldrum is also excited to welcome the Australian goalkeeper who previously spent time with the Western New York Flash and Washington Spirit.
“I’ve said this about our goalkeeping depth before and it is true today, we have two of the best goalkeepers in the league with Lydia and Bianca [Henninger],” Waldrum said. “They could start for any team in the league. I’m excited to have Lydia join us, she brings so much experience and that’s invaluable when you bring in so many young players like we have.”
Williams and the Dash will be back in action at BBVA Compass on Saturday, April 16 as they open the NWSL season against the Chicago Red Stars. For tickets or more information, visit houstondashsoccer.com.
