Jeff DiVeronica

@RocDevo

On Thursday night, March 10, Britt Eckerstrom was playing ping pong in the basement with her mother, Pam. But this wasn't just any night. It was supposed to be the last night Britt would spend at her parents' home in Boyds, Maryland, before driving north to start the next chapter of her life.

She was headed to the Buffalo area for preseason camp with Western New York Flash, the professional soccer team that made the former Penn State goalie the first keeper selected in January's NWSL Draft. Eckerstrom's car was packed with all of her stuff and in the driveway, ready for the morning.

But everything changed when they heard the smoke detectors go off.

"We didn’t think much of it, but we went upstairs to check things out and saw the fire coming into our kitchen from the garage," Eckerstrom recalls. "So I grabbed the dog and ran out the front door and just watched (the house) burn until the police and fire department could come and put it out."

Eve of becoming pro; eve of destruction.

The fire caused part of the second floor to collapse onto the garage, destroying one car in it, and four others parked in the driveway were damaged. Two, including Eckerstrom's, burned up completely.

No one was injured, including Tiffany Weimer and Tori Huster, who play for the Washington Spirit. The Eckerstroms have been a host family for Spirit players since the National Women's Soccer League started in 2013. Huster played for the Flash as a rookie in 2012.

Other than her road bike, which was in a different part of the house, and some collectibles she kept in a fireproof box, Eckerstrom lost just about everything she owned. But over the past 3½ months she found something: more of an appreciation than she ever thought imaginable for the family, friends and even strangers who helped the Eckerstroms during their time of need.

"It was tragic but the amount of support … just blew us all away. I never would have expected that. I think that was really incredible and something I’ll never be able to thank (everyone) for all of the support," says Eckerstrom, who's expected to be in uniform at 7 Friday night in Rochester when the Flash host the Chicago Red Stars in a battle of teams tied for second place behind the unbeaten Portland Thorns (6-0-5, 23 points).

So will the $50,443 raised from a GoFundMe account set up by Anthony DiCicco, the son of former U.S. women's national team coach Tony DiCicco. Friends, former teammates and coaches, family and even fans donated. Within a few days of the fire, more than $28,000 was raised.

It's not only the dollar figure. Seeing that nearly 900 people donated money is awe-inspiring, she says.

"It was really sad and we lost a lot of things, just feeling that (support) after the fire was something that made a big difference," Eckerstrom says.

It's still not known what caused the blaze, but Weimer heard two explosions coming from the garage.

Eckerstrom has become a key player for the young Western New York, which has won four of five matches since a slow start. Pressed into duty after Sabrina D'Angelo broke her wrist, Eckerstrom shut out Boston (4-0) and Orlando (1-0) in her first two starts and was named NWSL Player of the Week. She had nine saves against Alex Morgan and the Pride.

"(It’s) unfortunate how it happened," Eckerstrom, 23, says about how she got in the lineup. "But the months that we’ve been here in preseason since March, I felt like I had good training under my belt. (D’Angelo) has been awesome; Sabs has been super supportive. I felt ready."

Her shutout streak, which dated to last fall, was snapped in a 2-0 loss to Portland on June 17. Eckerstrom blanked her last eight opponents in lHuster played for the Flash as a rookie in 2012.and had 12 shutouts overall. Brighton graduate Charlotte Williams, a midfielder who made the Big Ten All-Freshmen team, had three goals and seven assists for the Nittany Lions.

"It’s very hard for a rookie goalkeeper to come into this league with the pace of (play). You know, the players hit the ball a bit harder than they do in college, the (crosses) are whipped in a little bit harder, there’s a bit more physicality inside the six … but she’s done well," Flash coach Paul Riley says.

The 5-foot-8 Eckerstrom also has been able to work with Flash assistant and former Rhinos goalkeeping great Scott Vallow. Former Vallow understudies who have earned all-league honors include Orlando's Ashlyn Harris (Flash in 2011) and Portland's Michelle Betos (Thorns in 2015).

"She’s worked very, very hard and has done well," Vallow said. "She’s a good communicator, good organizer. She’s well-liked in the locker room, which is an important quality, too."

Eckerstrom says being a goalie is far from a one-player show. She has never felt like she's on an island because she always feels so connected to her defense.

"With each new level you have to find a new confidence in yourself and your ability to read the game faster and make your decisions quicker and then be able to relay all that organization and what you’re seeing to all your players," Eckerstrom says. "This year is just about finding my voice, finding my presence in the box."

Even though Riley wasn't with the Flash when she was drafted, the veteran coach likes what he sees.

"She’s going to get bigger, stronger, faster, better with her feet, more mobile. I think she’s got a great future in the league," he says. "She will be a No. 1 for sure, whether it be here or somewhere else. … I think she’s in for a long career."

JDIVERON@Gannett.com

$50,000-plus raised; Abby apparently donates $1,000

Anthony DiCicco, the son of former U.S. women's soccer coach Tony DiCicco, started a GoFundMe page for the family of Britt Eckerstrom after the Western New York Flash rookie goalie's family saw its house destroyed by a fire in Maryland in March. In the first four days after the blaze, $28,000 was raised. As of this week, the total was $50,443. That included donations from several current and former players, including former U.S. national teamers Lori Lindsey and Leslie Osborne, ex-Flash goalie Brittany Cameron and Chicago Red Stars goalie Alyssa Naeher, a backup for the American squad.

The largest donation by an individual was $1,000 and came from "Mary Wambach." That is presumably Pittsford native and former U.S. star Abby Wambach, whose first name is Mary.

Red Stars at Flash

Matchup: Chicago (5-2-3, 18 points) vs. Western New York (6-4) in a battle of teams tied for second place in the NWSL.

When/where: 7 p.m. Friday/Rhinos Stadium.

Tickets: Start at $12.

Last time: Flash lost 1-0 at Chicago on April 23.