FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Just one day before D.C. United's match with the New England Revolution, Travis Worra received official word that he would be making his first start in MLS.
The former University of New Hampshire ‘keeper admitted that the hours leading up to kickoff were nerve wracking, but once the match began he stood firm between the woodwork, stopping all three shots that the Revolution put on goal in helping D.C. pull out a 0-0 draw for their first point of the season.
“I was thinking about it all week, all day today,” Worra saod. “I was starting to freak out in the hotel. As soon as I got here to the stadium, honestly it all came together and I felt pretty good.”
When Andrew Dykstra – D.C.'s early-season starter in place of the injured Bill Hamid – removed himself from training on Wednesday with back spasms, Worra thought nothing of it. Then on Thursday, United’s director of goalkeeping Zach Thornton told him to start mentally preparing for the game as Dykstra was an uncertainty.
In finding out his starting status on Friday, Worra was able to round up his support team in time for them to attend the event, including old college teammates, his girlfriend who flew up from South Carolina, and his parents who took a red-eye flight from Seattle.
“I had my best people in my corner, so that was pretty cool,” Worra said.
The United ‘keeper also received plenty of support on the field from his teammates who stood firmly in the way of the Revolution attack, blocking six shots on the day.
“It’s very tough to keep New England off the board in their house,” said D.C. head coach Ben Olsen. “We’re very happy with that. We’re happy with Travis’ performance.”
Late in the proceedings, the Revolution looked to have a golden opportunity to push one across in stoppage time, but Kelyn Rowe’s effort went wide of the net and Worra and company left with a clean sheet.
“As soon as they split the ball through I think I got a good angle on the ball,” Worra said. “Even if he put that on frame I think, unless he megged me, I felt I was in pretty good position to make a save. But, it helps that he put it wide.”
