When Casey Murphy entered her first United States women’s national team camp back in the summer of 2018, she wasn’t just happy to be there — she went in ready to compete.
It was an ambitious goal for the then 22-year-old, as the No. 1-ranked U.S. team was deep into its World Cup cycle and only a year away from ultimately winning the tournament in 2019. Most new players would have come into camp trying to feel their way through the new experience, or simply trying to keep their head above water.
“Once I got there, it was all business — game on,” Murphy explained at the time. “Even though I’m a younger player, I think you have to walk taller and show that you belong in order to stay at that level.”
Three and a half years later, and following a standout National Women’s Soccer League season for the North Carolina Courage, Murphy showed that all-business mentality again. She earned her first cap for the U.S. in impressive fashion, making eight saves on her way to player-of-the-match honors in a 3-0 shutout win over Australia on Saturday in Sydney.
“This was a this was a great experience for Casey,” head coach Vlatko Andonovski said after the game. “[It] could not get any better for her, playing in front of a great crowd, very loud, very stressful, against some of the best forwards and one of the best forwards in the world. What else can you can ask for?
“She came out big and helped us. It’s not just that she helped us win, but gave us confidence. I thought she was great for the team; she was great for the back line. They felt very comfortable with everything that went behind them and I feel comfortable saying that even though this is the first cap for Casey, it’s going to be one of many.”
