Flashback: Coach Carrie O'Keeffe's Playing Career

Coach Carrie Moore O'Keeffe had a stellar playing career. A case can be made that she is the best female soccer player in the United States to never play for the National Team. Fortunately, Carrie was playing with Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach on the Washington Freedom, but the long list of attackers that she shut down includes some of the greatest goal scorers to ever play the game. That list includes Kelly Smith, Birgit Prinz, Charmaine Hooper, Tiffeny Millbrett, Marinette Pichon, and Katia. Below are quotes from teammates, coaches, and the media from the 2002 season.

Jen Grubb (Washington Freedom captain): “Carrie is my choice for [team] MVP.”
Siri Mullinix (Washington Freedom and national team goalkeeper): “Carrie Moore has been a tremendous player.... This season she's given us everything she has. We've put her on every top player on every team, and she's shut them down.”
Jim Gabarra (Washington Freedom head coach): “She's probably our most intelligent defender in terms of making the right decision and being at the right place at the right time. She never really makes a bad decision and that is really fun to watch.”
Anson Dorrance (PAX commentator, University of North Carolina head coach, former National Team coach): “The great story [of the Freedom's 2002 season], actually, was Moore marking the other team's best striker in each game and taking them out. She stayed with them and fought herself into a very successful season.”
Merrill Ring (CyberSoccerNews): “Carrie Moore [has developed] into a suffocating man marker.”
Lori Walker (Comcast SportsNet): “Carrie Moore right now is my leading candidate for defensive player of the year.”
Jennifer Thomas "J.T." (Fox SportsNet/CyberRays local broadcast color commentator): “Moore is an awesome one-v-one defender. I love watching that girl play.”
Dave Johnson (Comcast SportsNet): “Carrie Moore has been a big reason for the success of the Freedom on defense this season.”
Brian Straus (The Washington Post): “ Moore ... has emerged as a top marking back.”
Ken Wright (The Washington Times): “ Central defender Carrie Moore has played a pivotal role in man-marking opponents' high-powered goal scorers.”
Jim Gabarra (again): “Carrie really set the standard last year for what a one vs. one defender can be in this league..”