Freshman goalkeeper Emily Zweng received a red card and was disqualified from her first collegiate soccer game. Two months later, she is ranked as the top keeper in the NCAA.

With a 0.539 goals against average, Zweng is ranked 10th in the country and is tied for 23rd with a 0.857 save rate. Before the Norte Dame game, Zweng was ranked first in both categories and was statistically the best goalkeeper at any division one college in the nation.

Women’s head coach Margaret Saurin says Zweng is only going to improve.

“She could excel even more,” Saurin said.

“I know she has great stats this year already and I really think she could be better. I really don’t think her development is going to stop here. She has a great attitude for wanting to get better.”

Zweng worked hard during the preseason and throughout the regular season. Saurin says she also put in a large amount of extra time when nobody was watching.  Zweng practiced for six to eight weeks before getting a single minute of real competition.

“Coming in I knew if I worked all season, all of preseason, I just knew if my time was going to come it was going to be now.” Zweng said.

“I knew I had to go out there and perform my best and do what I have been training two months to do.”

However, when the season started, Zweng was actually the backup goalkeeper. The team had let some goals in and going into conference play wanted a change, Saurin explained.

So, they put the freshman in.

“She took the opportunity with both hands and did not look back,” Saurin said.

Zweng’s communication with the backline is also a crucial part of the game. The backline helps limit the shots Zweng has saved and she takes care of anything that happens to break through the backline.

“I’m going to save the ball, I’m not going to let a single ball in,” Zweng said. “I’m going to make my teammates proud, make my coaches proud, make my family proud, make my friends proud. It is more of a mental ‘you have to be the best’ because anything less isn’t acceptable.”

Zweng’s talents don’t end just on the defensive side. She can handle the ball both on the offensive and defensive side of the field.

Zweng has a powerful punt, kicking the ball up to 60 to 70 yards each time. It helps the team out tremendously on the offensive end of the game.

“She also has an assist this year which she has to be proud of, not a lot of goalkeepers get an assist in their career,” Saurin said.

“So the fact she can punt the ball that far allows us to be a threat offensively too. Her feet can release any pressure if we are under any pressure.”

Having Zweng on the field for Oakland will give the Golden Grizzlies a huge advantage. As a freshman, someone who is that young that can manage the game as well as Zweng is rare, explained Saurin.

“You would like to see an athlete like Emily be a four year starter,” Saurin said.

Notre Dame posed a tough matchup for the Golden Grizzlies defense. The final score was not indicative of Zweng’s performance on the field. She allowed five goals, but she also saved eight shots.

“I don’t really like to think about games that much, I just like to go in and perform the best I can,” Zweng said. “So going into the game, I’m just going to go in and do what I’ve been training three months to do. Just be lights out.”