Ashley Phillips has a professional contract to play soccer.
But as the third goalkeeper for the Boston Breakers of the newly returned U.S. Women's Professional League, the 23-year-old from West Peabody is regarded as a developmental addition to the Breakers' roster. Plying time, if any, will be limited.
However, the former Clemson All-America — she rewrote the Tigers' record book in goalkeeper statistics — has an arrangement where she practices with the Breakers and dresses for all home games at Harvard Stadium, but does not go on the road..
In her contractual agreement, Phillips is also the No. 1 keeper for Mike Kersker's Aztecs women's elite team for the purpose of keeping her skills sharp. The Aztecs are the affiliate for the Breakers and have four such developmental athletes on loan from the Breakers.
The one-time Bishop Fenwick superstar has been prominent as a No. 1 keeper on just about every team where she's performed.
Come Thursday, May 21 in Amesbury, Phillips has a grand opportunity to improve her stock in the Breakers' goalie depth chart. The Aztecs will hosting the Breakers in an exhibition game, and while she hasn't received the official word, the 5-foot-8 netminder anticipates she'll be guarding the Aztecs' net.
"It'll be my first game in a while. Tony DeCicco (the Breakers' coach) hasn't seen me play (in a game) in probably three months," Phillips said. "It'll be a test for me."
DeCicco, the former Women's National coach who led to the U.S. to the 1999 World Cup title over China, has already seen Phillips' competitive spirit. She was so impressive in preseason that DeCicco waived the team's No. 10 draft choice, Janiel Johnson of Tennessee, and Phillips moved up to No. 3 on the depth chart and gained a roster spot.
A long time ago, Phillips was at DeCicco's summer camp. He was not aware of that until some of the Breakers' staffers reminded him about her attendance as a U-14 player.
"It's nice to see a kid from our camp succeed," DiCicco said.
"The No. 2 keeper waits her turn and has be patient. Same for the No. 3, who is one step removed. Believe me, it's very common for the No. 2-3 keepers to get a game, with injuries and stuff, red card situations, international call-ups. It's not uncommon at all for the third keeper to play with the injury situations."
"Right now we have a goal medalist (Kristin Luckenbill) at No. 1 who won a championship in the previous WPSL and has a lot of experience. Ashley's still young, a student of the game. I can't see where she's dissatisfied. I'm sure she's not resigned with the fact she's No. 3. She wants to keep improving and taking advantage of learning the game. She's like a sponge, always absorbing.
"She's very popular and does a lot with her attitude and personality. Everybody likes her," the coach added. "She works with both other goalies and that's important to me, that the team enjoys each other on and off the field."
Interestingly, the No. 2 keeper is Allie Lipsher out of Duke. She and Phillips often faced each other in the Atlantic Coast Conference — where Phillips did not lose to Duke in four years.
"Allie played in California last year in a better league than I did in Atlanta and I think benefitted from that. She had a good preseason," Phillips said of their past rivalry. "It went back and forth and she won out. She peaked at the right time."
DeCicco was the goalie coach for the World Cup winners, pointed out Phillips' ex-Fenwick coach, Jose Isidro.
"Ashley can't get better coaching anywhere," Isidro said. "If there's anyone who can make a leap (up), it's Ashley. She has that kind of talent."
Paul Athanasiadis was Ashley's coach on the Spirit of Massachusetts club team.
"She's the best keeper to come out of our area, one of the strongest Massachusetts has produced," Athanasiadis said. "Not many in the state has reached nationals and the professional level. Her first year with the Breakers, she should just learn as much as she can."
"I'm a professional, and I'm developmental. But on this everyone is the same, just as important as the next person," Phillips said. "We (the developmentals) are always told how vital we are, and if we didn't push the starters they wouldn't get better, and neither would we.
"Yes, being No. 3 can be frustrating. It's hard sometimes, but I have to realize how young I am."
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Bill Kipouras is a staff writer at The Salem News. He can be reached at 978-338-2615 or by e-mail: bkipouras@salemnews.com.
