Boston Breakers Sign Jami Kranich to Replace Injured Goalkeeper Abby Smith
Abby Smith will sit out the remainder of the 2016 NWSL season after suffering a strained ACL and torn patellar tendon versus the Portland Thorns over the weekend. The Breakers sign goalkeeper Jami Kranich who appeared in three preseason matches for Boston and served as a backup to Alyssa Naeher in 2014.
Soccer News: The Boston Breakers announced the signing of goalkeeper Jami Kranich. Per team and league policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The 23-year-old Hamden, Conn. native appeared in three matches for the Breakers during the 2016 NWSL preseason, facing Northeastern, Florida State, and Florida Elite Soccer Academy before being waived on April 5, 2016.
Signed as a college draft pick on March 24, 2014, Kranich was a member of the Breakers for two seasons. After serving as backup to Alyssa Naeher in 2014, Kranich made her professional debut on May 9, 2015, a 3-0 loss at Chicago. She made six saves in the defeat. Kranich started all eight games she appeared in during the 2015 season and posted a record of 2-4-2 with two shutouts and a 1.63 goals against average.
Kranich will replace goalkeeper Abby Smith, who suffered a season-ending injury (strained ACL and torn patellar tendon) during the May 7 game against Portland Thorns FC.
“Losing Abby is a blow, purely and simply because she came in and did really well against Portland and Chicago. It’s disappointing for her because she got herself into the team with Libby’s (Stout) injury,” Boston Breakers head coach Matt Beard said. “I had a good chat with her yesterday. Obviously, she’s down, but she’s also motivated to have the surgery, begin rehab and get back as quickly as she can. From that perspective, she’s in a positive mindset, and the girls have been brilliant with her. It’s not nice to happen, especially in your rookie year, but she can become a stronger person and better goalkeeper off the back of it. When you go through something like she’s going through over the next six months, it makes you appreciate being on the pitch a lot, lot more.”
A former Villanova star and member of the 2012 U.S. U-20 World Cup champions, Kranich earned her first professional win on May 16, 2015, a 1-0 victory at home against Portland Thorns FC. She made three saves in the win. On June 6, 2015, a 1-1 tie on the road against the Washington Spirit, Kranich set a career high in saves in a match with eight.
“It was a really tough decision when we waived Jami,” Beard said. “From the perspective that no one picked her up and she was still in market, we’re quite fortunate on that front. It’s good to have someone of Jami’s experience back in the group. The girls were really receptive to it. It’s good to see her back within the group.”
Kranich was selected in the fourth round (32nd overall) in the 2014 NWSL College Draft.
The Breakers return to action Friday, May 13, at Sky Blue FC before returning home to face FC Kansas City on Sunday, May 22.
Source: Boston Breakers. Photo Credit: Mike Gridley/Boston Breakers
