Northwestern knew coming into this season that in order to avoid a repeat of last year's disappointing 4-14 record, the defense had to improve significantly.
The Wildcats gave up four goals or more eight times last fall, and the team failed to win any of those games. To put themselves in a better position to win, the players would have to get better at keeping the opponent off the scoreboard.
"We knew that we had to be more competitive this year by making sure that we were denying more opportunities and that we were letting fewer goals in than what we were averaging last year," coach Kelly McCollum said.
Because the team lost most of its defensive starters to graduation, this season's unit is fairly inexperienced - sophomores Sarah Marcincin and Zoe Almquist, junior Stacy Uchida and freshman Kaylee Pohlmeyer receive most of the playing time.
But the young players have caught on quickly, and the early returns have been promising: Last fall NU gave up 3.39 goals per game. The team has allowed only 2.77 so far this year.
Take out the game against top-ranked Maryland, and that goals-against stat falls to 2.17.
"We're happy to see the numbers decrease, because we've always said you can't win games if you're giving up too many," McCollum said.
Though she said there was a strong defensive system already in place and she was trying to get the players adjusted to that system, McCollum said the full-field press formations were overhauled in the offseason.
The team also has focused on techniques for clearing the ball out of its own defensive third.
"We've been working on our hits and sweeps to make our ways to get the ball out of the backfield more versatile," Marcincin said.
The sophomore defender said the players have spent more time in the weight room than in the past, lifting and trying to get stronger to prepare for the physical style of play in the Big Ten.
The defense already is proving to be the best one the Cats have fielded in recent memory.
2008 Woodie Awards
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