By Owen Gotimer
LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief
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South Riding (April 13, 2016) — Freedom High School senior Kylee Moffett has made a commitment to continue her soccer career at Youngstown State University starting in the 2016-2017 school year.

“With only a few months until the season starts and less than 30 days to make deposits at colleges, I was stressing out,” the 5-foot-5 Moffett said. “It’s relieving to know where I will be going and to know that I will be representing the school for the sport I love to play.”

Moffett has surely positively represented her hometown Freedom Eagles. Through three games in 2016, Moffett has her Eagles off to a 2-1 start allowing zero goals on the season.

“I tore my ACL my freshman year and tore my MCL my sophomore year leaving me out of soccer. I returned healthy and happy to play and fight for the starting goalkeeping position on the team,” Moffett said. “Playing high school soccer was always a dream when I was younger. Soon it became reality when I became the Freedom girls soccer goalkeeper my junior year.”

After three knee surgeries and limited time to make her decision, Moffett knew the opportunity first-year Youngstown State head coach Fabio Boateng offered her was the one she wanted to take up.

“I had received many offers in the past few months, but overall, I knew I found my new home,” Moffett said. “The coaching staff is brand new this year and seem like great people to work with. The school offers what I want to major in and the campus and soccer field are breathtaking.”

Getting to play soccer in college is a dream come true for Moffett who noted the sport has always been a big part of her life.

“Whether I was at a tournament all weekend or driving out to practice four nights a week, soccer has always been fun to me,” Moffett said. “I have many people that have influenced my life in the soccer world and I couldn’t thank them enough.”

In particular, Moffett credited her coaches for helping her transition from defense to goalkeeper.

“My first goalie coach passed away unexpectedly a few years ago; he gave me my first set of goalie gloves when I was twelve. He began to teach me — a defender — how to make saves in a game,” said Moffett who plays club for FC Virginia ’97 ECNL. “Shortly before him, my old coach Gerry Austin asked me if I wanted to try out a new position. He strapped on gloves and sent me into the net. Just like that I became a goalkeeper. I like to thank them for getting me started and Terry Foley for keeping me going all of these years.”

Thanks to those three coaches, Moffett is ready to help the Division I Penguins improve on a 7-11 campaign in 2015 which included a 2-7 record in the Horizon League.

“I believe that I will increase the competition level for the Penguins goalkeeping,” Moffett said. “I will work my hardest on and off the field at Youngstown State. I can’t wait to join the Penguins and hope to make an impact on the team.”