Finder’s keepers

Tim Howard’s 16-save performance against Belgium in the 2014 World Cup is considered one of the best performances ever by a United States goalkeeper.

On a smaller scale, Lewis & Clark senior Geena Fong had an outing just as dominant.

The 2011 Maryknoll alumna stopped all 17 shots on goal in a 0-0 tie against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 11 days ago and is a big reason the Pioneers are at the top of the Northwest Conference standings.

Lewis & Clark has never won a NWC title in women’s soccer but is in position to make a run at it behind its senior goalkeeper.

Fong, who has made 51 starts in four seasons, hasn’t allowed more than two goals in a game this season for the Pioneers, who are off to a 4-1-2 start overall and 2-0-1 in the NWC.

"I honestly feel like we have the opportunity to be the first team to win (the conference," Fong said. "That’s the goal right now."

Lewis & Clark has come a long way under coach Jim Tursi, who made Fong his first recruit after taking over the program in the fall of 2010.

Fong is one of only two seniors still remaining from Tursi’s first full recruiting class that went 3-15-2 in 2011.

Fong was 0-8 as a starter in goal but is 19-18-5 since. She started NWC play posting back-to-back shutouts of Willamette (Ore.) and Whitworth (Wash.).

A two-time Division II state champion with Pac-Five in high school, Fong decided early in her senior year that she wanted to attend a Division III school on the West Coast.

She took most of her approximately 30 college tours at schools in Southern California but settled on Lewis & Clark in Portland, Ore.

She fell in love with the campus and was thrilled with the academics. All that was left was whether or not she could play soccer.

"When I chose (Lewis & Clark) I called up the coach and asked if I was still able to play for (him)," Fong said. "He was like, ‘you can, and you will.’"

She started her freshman season as the backup but an injury thrust her into the starting job.

She fully took over the starting job by her sophomore season and played in her 60th game last Saturday in a 2-2 tie against conference co-leader Whitman (Wash.).

For the first time in her career, Fong missed spring workouts with the team.

She took an opportunity to study abroad in China, taking classes in Chinese and economics and had to find ways on her own time to stay in soccer shape.

"There was an athletic facility to work out near where we stayed but the pollution was really bad," Fong said. "It was a different experience going to the gym. I was able to lift like more than (most people) there, but it was also an interesting experience to live the life of a woman athlete and realize how blessed we are at home to be athletes."