Chargers' Defense Has Come A Long Way

LINDEN - Defense is the name of the game for the North Montgomery girls’ soccer team.

Through its first 10 games of the 2017 season the Chargers have allowed just 12 total goals and five of those came in a 5-0 loss to Sagamore Athletic Conference league leading Danville.

Other than the Danville loss, the Chargers have not allowed more than one goal in regulation in any of its other nine games. Technically, the Chargers lost to Southmont 2-1, but that game was tied at 1-1 at the end of regulation and two overtime periods. Mounties won in a shootout and was credited with a 2-1 win.

Statistically, the Chargers have the second best defense in the Sagamore Athletic Conference. Lebanon leads the league having allowed just six goals in six matches. The Chargers have allowed 12 goals in 10 matches. Southmont has allowed 13 and Frankfort has allowed 14 both in 10 matches.

For those who have followed the Chargers’ girls’ soccer program they have seem the vast improvement in their defensive game – which has also translated into more victories.

Two years ago, the team went 1-14-2 and was outscored 72-14. Last year the Chargers finished the season 7-8-2 and was outscored 45-23 before losing in the second round of the Tri-West Sectional 2-1 by the eventual Champion Western Boone Stars.

Currently this season the team is sitting with a 6-3-1 record with big SAC matches against Frankfort (Thursday), Tri-West (Monday) and Crawfordsville (next Thursday) in what will be a big week for the team.

The school record for fewest goals allowed in a season is 38 so the team is on pace to break that record. Another record which should fall is the season goal differential mark, which is the difference between goals scored and goals allowed. The school record is negative 18 and the team currently stands and the plus nine for this season.

The Chargers are also looking to set a school record for most wins in a season, which is currently eight and set in 2012 when the team went 8-9-2 before losing to Tri-West in the Greencastle Sectional championship game. The Chargers’ program has never had a .500 or a winning season. Three wins out of its last seven matches would accomplish that feat.

So what has led to the dramatic cut down in goals allowed?

It starts with junior goalkeeper Regina Dodds.

She was pushed into action early last season when an injury sidelined the starting goalie and it took a few matches for her to learn the game. However, but the end of the season she had turned into one of the top keepers in the league and earned All-SAC Honorable mention hours. In the final six matches of the season Dodds allowed just 10 goals. That means over the course of her last 16 matches (the equivalent of one full season) she has allowed a total of just 22 goals or an average of 1.37 goals per match. She is also one shutout away from tying the season record for most shutouts in a season. She had three through 10 games and the record is four.

The defense returned three of four starters from last year including a pair of All-SAC performers. Junior Brynn Anderson was a First Team selection and fellow classmate Camilla Clark earned Second Team honors in her first year playing soccer. They are joined by Ellie Sennett as returning defensive starter.

This year they have been joined by freshman Kelsey Anderson and junior Ellie Chastain who has split time at the fourth defensive spot.

Stayed tuned as we will update on it they broke these records at the end of the season.