University of Connecticut Athletics
Labbe Named To Canadian Olympic Women's Soccer Team
7/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C. (July 16, 2008)– University of Connecticut senior Stephanie Labbe was named to the Canadian Olympic soccer team on Tuesday by head coach Even Pellerud. The starting goalie for the Huskies has compiled 209 saves, 16 shutouts and a 0.88 goals against average (GAA) over her three year career at UConn. During the 2007 season, she was ranked 17th in the nation with a 0.612 GAA only allowing 14 balls to get past her in 22 games.
“It is a great honor to not only be picked to represent my country, but to be chosen to represent my country at such a prestigious tournament,” Labbe said after finding out that she would be going to China. “Going to the Olympics has been a dream of mine ever since I was old enough to know what they were, so to have the opportunity to live my dream is unbelievable.”
Labbe, who has in the national team program since she was 15, will be an alternative on the Canadian Olympic team behind goalies Karina LeBlanc, who has 62 career CAPS for the Canadian National team, and Erin McLeod, who has been a member of both the senior national team and the Youth Under-20 national team for Canada tallying 66 career CAPS.
"Steph has been in residency with the national team since January,” said Head Coach Len Tsantiris. “We are very excited for her that she was named to the Canadian Olympic team. It will be a great experience for her and we wish her the best of luck in Beijing."
The Canadian soccer team will compete in the Olympics from August 6-21 in Beijing, China.
Canada's soccer team qualified for the Olympics for the first time in history earlier this season. Canada qualified by finishing second at the CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualification Tournament in Juarez, Mexico. The clinching victory was a 1-0 win over host Mexico in the tournament semifinal.
Canada will play Argentina, China and Sweden in the opening round of the Olympics. Canada plays Argentina on August 6, China on August 9 and Sweden on August 12. From the 12 teams in the women's tournament (three groups of four teams), eight teams advance to the August 15 quarterfinals. Four teams then advance to matches on August 18 and 21, first the semifinals and then, depending on the outcomes, either the gold-medal final or bronze-medal final.
Every player nominated to the roster for the Olympics has also represented Canada at the national or national-youth level. On the world stage, Canada was most recently ranked ninth in the FIFA Women's World Rankings. The Canadian team finished second to the world's number-one ranked United States at the 2008 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualification Tournament.
“We have been performing very well in the international games we have played since January,” said Labbe. “Of course the opportunity to hear our national anthem on the podium is the ultimate goal!”
