Abby Smith wins save of the week

Abby Smith was nominated for NWSL save of the week in week six, alongside Nicole Barnhart, Alyssa Naeher and Haley Kopmeyer. Smith won for her 24th minute leaping parry to keep Nadia Nadim’s strike out of the net.

You can see all of the save nominees below:

That wasn’t Smith’s only crucial stop of the game. She also had a huge block in the 74’ when Lindsey Horan blasted the ball at goal and Smith was quick to parry the ball up, catching it on the way back down.

Smith has been like this for most of the season thus far - not just the big stops, although she’s shown she’s capable of making those, but the “simple” catches and smothers that came about because she was in the right place at the right time. Her kicking game is pretty good too, capable of putting the forwards in on a quick restart.

You might remember Smith’s 2016 rookie season was cut short after she suffered a torn patellar tendon in a game against the Chicago Red Stars. It was only her second game for Boston that season, but Smith seems to have put it all behind her. She’s now making a very strong case that she needs to be evaluated in USWNT camp.

Boston next plays the Portland Thorns away at Providence Park on Saturday, May 27 at 10 PM ET.