Skroski, Murphy Join USWNT Rosters For International Tourneys
Feb 17 | Women's Soccer
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The U.S. Under-23 Women's National Team will travel to Croatia for its first overseas trip of the year to play three matches in the eight-team Istria Cup, which runs from March 2-7. Former Rutgers women's soccer defender Erica Skroski (Galloway, N.J.) will join the U.S. squad in her first international competition with the team.
Meanwhile, current Scarlet Knight goalkeeper Casey Murphy (Bridgewater, N.J.) travels with the U.S. Under-20 Women's National Team as it continues its preparations for the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup by traveling to La Manga, Spain for the 2016 Under-23 La Manga Tournament that runs from March 2-6.
The USA U-20 squad will compete against older teams in the six-team event that also features U-23 sides from England, Germany, Sweden, Japan and Norway. The USA will face Sweden on March 2, England on March 4 and finish with Norway on March 6.
The USA U-23 side opens the competition on March 2 against the full Slovenia Women's National Team, will face the Poland Under-19 Women's National Team on March 4 and finishes against the France National "B" Team. France's full Women's National Team will be competing in the SheBelieves Cup during that time in the United States.
The other teams in the tournament are the full National Teams of Croatia, Slovakia and Northern Ireland, as well as the Hungary National "B" Team. Those four teams will play games against each other. The full Hungary Women's National Team will be competing in the Cyprus Cup during that time.
Murphy, a 2015 NSCAA Second Team All-American and Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year, played every minute of every match for Rutgers on the year, tallying 80 saves and 19 shutouts while allowing just 10 goals. The trip to La Manga, Spain for the La Manga Tournament is Murphy's second after she made her national team debut in last season's edition. In her first-career U.S. U-20 match on March 5, 2015, Murphy posted a shutout against Norway.
A two-time captain for the Scarlet Knights, Skroski was named a 2015 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Second Team All-American and the 2015 Big Ten Defender of the Year. The Scarlet Knight standout was picked 23rd overall by Sky Blue FC in the 2016 National Women's Soccer League Draft in Baltimore.
U.S. U-20 WNT La Manga Tournament Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Rose Chandler (Penn State; Atlanta, Ga.), Casey Murphy (Rutgers; Bridgewater, N.J.)
DEFENDERS (9): Alana Cook (Stanford; Far Hills, N.J.), Maddie Elliston (Penn State; Omaha, Neb.), Emily Fox (FC Virginia; Ashburn, Va.), Natalie Jacobs (Notre Dame; Coto de Caza, Calif.), Ellie Jean (Penn State; Coventry, Conn.), Tegan McGrady (Stanford; San Jose, Calif.), Taylor Otto (North Carolina; Apex, N.C.), Kaleigh Riehl (Penn State; Fairfax Station, Va.), Michelle Xiao (Stanford; Omaha, Neb.)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Savannah DeMelo (Beach FC; Bellflower, Calif.), Jordan Dibiasi (Stanford; Littleton, Colo.), Kelcie Hedge (Washington; Post Falls, Idaho), Emily Ogle (Penn State; Strongsville, Ohio), Courtney Petersen (Virginia; Canton, Mich.), Parker Roberts (Kansas; Leawood, Kan.), Mikaela Harvey (Texas A&M; Liberty Hill, Texas)
FORWARDS (4): Mimi Asom (Princeton; Fairview, Texas), Taylor Racioppi (Duke; Ocean Township, N.J.), Jessie Scarpa (North Carolina; Lakeland, Fla.), Ally Watt (Texas A&M; Colorado Springs, Colo.)
U-23 Women's National Team Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Jane Campbell (Stanford; Kennesaw, Ga.), Katelyn Rowland (FC Kansas City; Vacaville, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (6): Abby Dahlkemper (Western New York Flash; Menlo Park, Calif.), Caprice Dydasco (Washington Spirit; Honolulu, Hawaii), Kayla Mills (USC; West Covina, Calif.), Katie Naughton (Chicago Red Stars; Elgin, Ill.), Erica Skroski (Sky Blue FC; Galloway, N.J.), Christen Westphal (Boston Breakers; Brecksville, Ohio)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Danielle Colaprico (Chicago Red Stars; Freehold, NJ.), Mandy Freeman (USC; West Covina, Calif.), Christina Gibbons (Duke; Raleigh, N.C.), Shea Groom (FC Kansas City; Liberty, Mo.), Rose Lavelle (Wisconsin; Cincinnati, Ohio), Havana Solaun (Seattle Reign; Gainesville, Fla.), Andi Sullivan (Stanford; Lorton, Va.), Samantha Witteman (Orlando Pride; Redondo Beach, Calif.)
FORWARDS (4): Makenzy Doniak (Western New York Flash; Chino Hills, Calif.), Tyler Lussi (Princeton; Lutherville, Md.), Toni Payne (Duke; Birmingham, Ala.), Taylor Smith (UCLA; Fort Worth, Texas)
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