USL Phoenix Rising FC

Better Than Best

Published on March 2, 2016 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release


Last September, during Arizona United's final match of the season, a shot tipped off Arizona United goalkeeper Carl Woszczynski's finger tips and smacked the far right post.

The ball bounced back to the only opposing player in the area, right at the top of the six yard box.

And the net was completely open.

Despite the overwhelmingly dire odds against Woszczynski, he managed to race back across the open goal mouth, and make a diving kick save to keep the ball out of the net and keep the score tied, 0-0. (A poor touch in the box didn't hurt).

"Making a save like that sort of set the tone that, 'Alright, nothing is going in my goal today," Woszczynski said.

And nothing did. United ended the season with a 0-0 draw, on the road, against a team that was in the chase for the Western Conference title.

It was a scene that played out many times over the course of 2015. Woszczynski making big save after big save, helping keep the team in matches. By the end of the season, he set a USL record for most saves in a year.

"It was a mentally and physically draining season, last year," Woszczynski said. "(There were) some tough breaks here and there, some dropped points and a lot of action for myself. I took a lot of shots and I took a bit of a beating."

Despite the bumps and bruises of the grind, Woszczynski finished the year starting in all but one of Arizona United's matches. It was the first time in his four-year professional career he didn't have a season cut short, or delayed, because of injury.

"I did a better job, last year, of taking care of myself," Woszczynski said. "I got to 27 year old during the season last year. So you start to figure out what works for you and what doesn't. I was eating better. I did some yoga. It was really about taking care of my body."

That work is why Woszczynski isn't concerned with the physical effects of coming off a season where he set personal records for appearances made and minutes played.

What he is looking forward to in 2016 is getting back to the high he reached on that September night in Sacramento. A match Woszczynski called the best performance of his career.

"I set that standard for myself coming into the season," Woszczynski said. "That's a level I know I can be at. So I want to start from there and reach an even higher level."

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