Sunday, October 9
Pittsburgh, PA
1 p.m.
Davidson College Athletics
at
Duquesne
Photo by: Jeff Sochko - DavidsonPhotos.com
Wildcats Have Matched Program's Shutout Record
10/7/2022 3:26:00 PM | Women's Soccer
The wins have stacked up for the Davidson women's soccer team this fall, and it's largely because opponents' goals have not.
It's a pretty simple theory — the idea of it being easier to win if the other team doesn't score and all.
But actually keeping an opponent off the scoreboard for 90 minutes is no small task. It takes persistence, focus and execution for two extended periods. Yet the Wildcats have done just that 10 times — matching the program's single-season shutouts record from 2005 and 2007.
"As a program, we take great pride in both sides of the ball," says coach Adam Denton. "To be successful, you have to create opportunities, but also limit opportunities and look to keep a clean sheet. The team's done phenomenally well through the season so far in not conceding goals."
The Wildcats are 10-2-2 overall and 3-2-1 in the Atlantic 10 as they enter their final four-match stretch of the season Sunday at Duquesne. They've outscored the opposition 22-6 and posted six straight shutouts from late August to mid-September. Their last four matches — three wins and a tie — have been shutouts as well.
"I feel like there's been a renewed energy about this season," says senior Keeley Copper. "Everyone just came back really fresh and really ready to go, and I think that's persisted throughout the season."
The starting back line of seniors Copper, Grace Voss and Cecie Bassett and freshman Charlotte Snead have started all 14 games and logged nearly 4,500 minutes combined. Add in fifth-year Mary Grace Bunch in the goal and it's a group that has played a lot of soccer together. They know one another's tendencies, trust each other to be where they're supposed to be in the event of a breakdown and they talk.
"Communication is essential in terms of knowing where the cover is," says Bassett. "I can hear when someone is telling me, 'You have a girl coming on your right,' or left, wherever she is. I think we do a good job of saying that to our other teammates so that helps in knowing where everyone is on the field, where the pressure is coming from."
Bunch, a two-time All A-10 pick, has answered the call in-goal, having now started 48 career games. She leads the league with a .451 goals-against average and is third with an .838 saves percentage. Late against Rhode Island on Sept. 22, she made four saves in the final eight minutes to secure the 1-0 win.
"Knowing she's back there, I have more confidence," says Voss. "I know she can make a save when she needs to make a save. If someone is coming at me one-v-one, I don't think about it as much, like 'I have to stop this or they're going to score on me.' It's, 'I want to stop this, but I know if I don't, I have someone behind me.' You are able to think and act quicker and make the right decision because you're not overthinking it."
While much of the credit for a shutout naturally goes to a team's back line and goalkeeper, Denton and the defenders emphasize that for a sheet to remain clean, it takes a unified effort, from forwards to midfielders and starters to reserves. It requires moving as an organized unit and for 90 minutes at a time.
The Wildcats have showed that kind of collective effort this fall, and it's paying dividends as they look to reach the program's second A-10 Tournament and the first since the spring of 2021.
"We've got a lot to play for, and all the teams we're playing are very good teams that are all fighting for something as well," says Denton.
SCOUTING DUQUESNE
Duquesne enters Sunday's contest with the same 3-2-1 A-10 record as Davidson and is 5-5-1 overall. It'll be the 10th all-time meeting between the teams, who are even so far at 3-3-3 including last year's 0-0 tie in Davidson.
The Dukes are coming off a 4-2 win at La Salle on Oct. 2 and also own league wins against Richmond and Rhode Island. They've lost to Saint Louis and UMass in A-10 play and tied Saint Joseph's.
Jaimi Araujo leads the Dukes with four goals and nine points.
It's a pretty simple theory — the idea of it being easier to win if the other team doesn't score and all.
But actually keeping an opponent off the scoreboard for 90 minutes is no small task. It takes persistence, focus and execution for two extended periods. Yet the Wildcats have done just that 10 times — matching the program's single-season shutouts record from 2005 and 2007.
"As a program, we take great pride in both sides of the ball," says coach Adam Denton. "To be successful, you have to create opportunities, but also limit opportunities and look to keep a clean sheet. The team's done phenomenally well through the season so far in not conceding goals."
The Wildcats are 10-2-2 overall and 3-2-1 in the Atlantic 10 as they enter their final four-match stretch of the season Sunday at Duquesne. They've outscored the opposition 22-6 and posted six straight shutouts from late August to mid-September. Their last four matches — three wins and a tie — have been shutouts as well.
"I feel like there's been a renewed energy about this season," says senior Keeley Copper. "Everyone just came back really fresh and really ready to go, and I think that's persisted throughout the season."
The starting back line of seniors Copper, Grace Voss and Cecie Bassett and freshman Charlotte Snead have started all 14 games and logged nearly 4,500 minutes combined. Add in fifth-year Mary Grace Bunch in the goal and it's a group that has played a lot of soccer together. They know one another's tendencies, trust each other to be where they're supposed to be in the event of a breakdown and they talk.
"Communication is essential in terms of knowing where the cover is," says Bassett. "I can hear when someone is telling me, 'You have a girl coming on your right,' or left, wherever she is. I think we do a good job of saying that to our other teammates so that helps in knowing where everyone is on the field, where the pressure is coming from."
Bunch, a two-time All A-10 pick, has answered the call in-goal, having now started 48 career games. She leads the league with a .451 goals-against average and is third with an .838 saves percentage. Late against Rhode Island on Sept. 22, she made four saves in the final eight minutes to secure the 1-0 win.
"Knowing she's back there, I have more confidence," says Voss. "I know she can make a save when she needs to make a save. If someone is coming at me one-v-one, I don't think about it as much, like 'I have to stop this or they're going to score on me.' It's, 'I want to stop this, but I know if I don't, I have someone behind me.' You are able to think and act quicker and make the right decision because you're not overthinking it."
While much of the credit for a shutout naturally goes to a team's back line and goalkeeper, Denton and the defenders emphasize that for a sheet to remain clean, it takes a unified effort, from forwards to midfielders and starters to reserves. It requires moving as an organized unit and for 90 minutes at a time.
The Wildcats have showed that kind of collective effort this fall, and it's paying dividends as they look to reach the program's second A-10 Tournament and the first since the spring of 2021.
"We've got a lot to play for, and all the teams we're playing are very good teams that are all fighting for something as well," says Denton.
SCOUTING DUQUESNE
Duquesne enters Sunday's contest with the same 3-2-1 A-10 record as Davidson and is 5-5-1 overall. It'll be the 10th all-time meeting between the teams, who are even so far at 3-3-3 including last year's 0-0 tie in Davidson.
The Dukes are coming off a 4-2 win at La Salle on Oct. 2 and also own league wins against Richmond and Rhode Island. They've lost to Saint Louis and UMass in A-10 play and tied Saint Joseph's.
Jaimi Araujo leads the Dukes with four goals and nine points.
Players Mentioned
D
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
D
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