Preps Girls Athlete of the Week: Faith Lutheran’s Elke Travis

Faith Lutheran senior goalie Elke Travis initially thought teammate Brooklyn Maier’s shot was going to go over the goal.

It didn’t as Maier scored the game-winner in overtime to give the Crusaders a 1-0 win over Coronado in last Saturday’s 5A girls soccer state championship game.

That moment almost didn’t happen. Travis made a key save earlier in overtime off a Coronado free kick to keep the game scoreless.

It was one of Travis’ eight saves on the day as part of her shutout performance that led to her being named the Nevada Preps Girls Athlete of the Week.

“I was super proud of myself, and it was a rewarding feeling that I did my job and didn’t let any goals pass,” Travis said. “It felt really good going against a strong team like Coronado and having a shutout and a game-winning save in overtime.”

Travis also recorded a shutout in Faith Lutheran’s 2-0 state semifinal win against Galena on Friday, setting up a rematch with Coronado for the state title.

The Crusaders fell in overtime to the Cougars in the Southern Region title game. Travis admitted there were some mixed feelings about the rematch.

“It was nerve-racking, but at the same time we were confident and determined,” Travis said.

Ultimately, Faith Lutheran avenged its loss from the week prior. As Travis played her last game with the Crusaders, she said she’ll remember how they responded to the loss and came back stronger in the state title game.

“We found a way to pull through and win,” Travis said. “Those moments I’ll remember because there’s always a good outcome if you work hard.”

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on Twitter.