Syracuse commit Sam Haley remains aggressive in high pressure situations in net
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Central Square had never beaten Jamesville-DeWitt in women’s soccer.
In a tight 3-2 game that had gone into overtime, the Red Rams had a late opportunity to tie the score on a corner kick. With the game on the line, Sam Haley made the deciding save to make history.
Haley, a goalie from Central Square, N.Y. will be joining the Syracuse women’s soccer team in the fall. A two-time Salt City Athletic Conference first team selection, Haley recorded six shutouts and a 1.30 goals against average this past fall. She was just an eighth grader when she took on the starting goalkeeper role for Central Square.
“I’m more of an aggressive keeper. I like to come out and close angles quickly,” Haley said. “I love PKs because I have all of the pressure on me. I don’t mind if I have to take someone on one-on-one.”
Haley’s high school coach, Angelo Carraccio, echoed that claim, saying that Haley is best in high-pressure situations. “She thrives on pressure,” Carraccio said. “Teammates and coaches trust her (with the game on the line).”
Brian McGrane, Haley’s Syracuse Development Academy coach, said she isn’t phased when all eyes are on her, and enjoys the pressure that being the last line of defense brings. But McGrane says Haley also excels outside the 12-yard box. Her ability to read the eyes of the shooter and scope out their positioning is critical to her success.
Equipped with an advanced precision of when to leave her line and sniff out danger, Carraccio warns that if opponents don’t fire at the goal early, Haley will smother the attempt.
From a goalie’s vantage point, Haley sees all the action. She focuses on communicating with the players around her, voicing warnings and advice, and her teammates rely on her to relay information on the opposition. They listen regardless of whether they have possession or not, obeying when Haley tells them to drop back or push forward.
“I see the whole field, so I’m (constantly) talking to others about what I see,” Haley said. Carraccio calls her “another coach.”
Julia Denning, a teammate and close friend of Haley, agrees with Carraccio’s sentiment. She says Haley always lets her know if she has a man-on, making sure Denning doesn’t lose the ball or make a mistake that will put the team at risk.
When Carraccio implements a schematic change mid-game, crucial information given to players to help them understand their new formations sometimes gets miscommunicated. But Haley has served as that reliable middle-man, capable of explaining the coach’s message to all, Caraccio said.
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“We had a completely new defense, and we leaned on her quite a bit…she’s very stern about it and explains it very clearly,” Carraccio said. “Those kids appreciated that and she helped them (learn) it,”
Since Haley also plays basketball, McGrane said Haley’s experience on the hardwood gave her the athletic skills she now has on the soccer field. But, as for why she’ll sport Orange at the Division-I level next season, McGrane attributes that to the high level of competition she’s faced — at her high school and at the club level.
Haley’s play isn’t perfect just yet — Caraccio said she’s struggled with high shots throughout her career, and she can get lost when too many bodies converge in the penalty box. But Haley sees these past mistakes as learning opportunities.
For Denning, playing with Haley helps remind her to have fun with everything she does. This fall, Haley hopes to bring that same energy to Syracuse soccer, a program she’s seen transform over recent years.
“I want to continue (to help build) this team atmosphere. Syracuse has always felt like home to me,” Haley said.
