Only three active Division I women's lacrosse goalkeepers have reached the prestigious 600-save mark. Tempe is home to one of them.
Senior goaltender Katie Vahle has been the backbone of ASU lacrosse since coming to Tempe as a freshman in the 2022 season. She played their last game at home in a 23-12 win over San Diego State on April 19.
Her senior season has been solid as Vahle saved 153 shots, tying for 14th in the nation with Towson goalkeeper Jenna Cardeno. After 70 starts in her collegiate career, Vahle believes she needs to be composed when she's in the net.
"It's very easy to get too hyped up or panic a little bit," Vahle said. "So just breathing through it, making sure that I see the ball and I know my teammates are there, (that) they're gonna be there for me."
Hailing from Manorville, New York, Vahle went to Eastport South Manor High School before becoming a Sun Devil. After she put on the maroon and gold in 2022, she immediately took the starting reins, starting all 19 games for ASU that season.
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As a freshman, Vahle was the first Sun Devil to win Pac-12 Defender of the Week four times in one season. She ended her freshman campaign with 152 saves.
In her sophomore season, Vahle continued to dominate playing time in the net and started 11 of 12 games for the Sun Devils. She continued to amass triple-digit saves with 112.
Vahle's junior season saw her get back to where she was as a freshman. She started all 19 games while sporting a 9-10 record. That season, she won Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week once.
The Manorville native made history in her junior year by allowing the fewest goals in a single game in program history with just three against Detroit Mercy. She finished with 142 saves on the season, improving her total from the previous year by 30.
This season has been her best so far. Through 16 games, Vahle has already beaten her season-high saves record. She also made history after crossing the illustrious 600 career saves mark.
Vahle set the mark against Maryland and celebrated with friends and family at the Colorado game.
"I think it's really cool having family and friends here and just really getting to wear the colors, see the colors all around and know that's what I get to represent," Vahle said.
Head coach Taryn VanThof Puls has relied on Vahle's consistency. The senior has started every game this season and helps ASU put its best foot forward. Vahle even set a new career high for saves in a game against USC with 18.
"That's a ton of time and a ton of saves that she's put in to put herself in that position," VanThof Puls said. "So it's not just this season, it's not just one game, but that's consistency, and that's what you get from Katie Vahle."
No matter where Vahle goes in the future, she will always live in ASU lacrosse's history books.
However, Vahle hasn't played her last game as a Sun Devil, as ASU will play No. 4 Florida on Saturday in Gainesville, Florida. After that, the Sun Devils will play in the Big 12 Tournament.
Edited by Jack Barron, Abigail Beck and Katrina Michalak.
Reach the reporter at niall.rosenberg@gmail.com and follow @RosenbergNiall on X.
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Niall is a junior studying sports journalism. This is his first semester with The State Press. He has also worked at WCSN and Blaze Radio.
