Special send-off for departing Western star with January Fan Player of the Month award

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Western United goalkeeper Hillary Beall has earned January Player of the Month honours in the Liberty A-League, after a fan vote.

Last season’s Liberty A-League Goalkeeper of the Year collects the January award on her way back to her parent club San Diego Wave in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL); Beall’s last game for Western came in a Round 17 win over Wellington Phoenix.

Beall made four appearances for Western in January, keeping one clean sheet and making 16 saves across three wins and one defeat.

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The Opta Index is based on totals in a variety of statistics for each player. The index score uses subcomponents (such as shooting, passing, defending), corresponding to different qualitative aspects of a player’s performance.

These component scores are combined to create an overall rating for each player. The formula that works out the overall match rating have been developed by Opta’s own team of data scientists in conjunction with our award-winning Data Editorial team.

Beall’s Opta Index of 73.2 was the eighth-highest in January, but the fan vote saw the goalkeeper take out Player of the Month honours, defeating Morgan Aquino, Daniela Galic, Rachel Lowe, Michelle Heyman, Jordan Silkowitz, Kaylie Collins, Sophie Harding, Hannah Keane and Jada Whyman.

Beall joins Rylee Foster as the second Player of the Month award recipient, after the Wellington Phoenix keeper won both the October/November and December fan votes.