She Played When There Wasn’t a Fuss

Among the 73,123 fans at Stanford Stadium on Sunday was one who appreciated U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry’s performance in the nets more than anyone else.

Mary Harvey, watching from up high in the VIP section, knew exactly what Scurry was going through as she flung her body in the way of flying Brazilian elbows and slicing Brazilian boots. She’d been there, done that.

Harvey was the U.S. team’s starting goalkeeper when it won the first Women’s World Championship, in China in 1991. She was also the backup to Scurry in the Sweden ’95 tournament and in the ’96 Olympic Games.

That first championship was won in virtual obscurity, but Harvey says that doesn’t matter now.

“I’m just happy that the United States finally is discovering this team,” she said. “It’s been such a great group and such a great set of stories that people just didn’t know about, for whatever reason.

“I’m so honored to have been a part of it. This is a very special group of women, and to have been a part of them for eight years, it’s shaped me for the rest of my life.

“I’m just happy that the world finally knows about them.”