Goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland of the 2016 NWSL Champion Western New York Flash will play for the Newcastle Jets in the Australian W-League, a team statement announced Tuesday. Rowland started in six matches in New York for the Flash, one of which ended in a shutout.

Her goals against average was 1.33 in 540 minutes, coming to the team from FC Kansas City mid-season. She was a key player during the minutes she was given, helping preserve a 2-0 lead for her team over the Chicago Red Stars.

A former member of United States youth national teams, Rowland also played four years of collegiate soccer at UCLA, winning a NCAA Championship her junior year. She made three appearances with Kansas City before being traded to her current team, the Flash.

Rowland with the U.S. U-20 National Team } Source: Vaughn Ridley - Getty Images                                                


News of this loan comes after the injury to the Washington Spirit’s Kelsey Wys. Wys, who is also a member of a NWSL Playoffs finalist team, tore her ACL during an awkward landing in the team’s match against Perth Glory.

The Jets are currently 2-2-0 and sit in fifth place. Rowland will join fellow Americans Arin Gilliland and Jen Hoy of the Red Stars, and Megan Oyster of the Boston Breakers. The W-League season stretches from November to January, so Flash fans can rest assured that she will return to the states with plenty of time to prepare for the 2017 NWSL season, and all that it will hold for the current champions.

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Alexandra Grant
Student and writer based in Philadelphia