Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015, 9:00 p.m.
The next time anybody scores a goal against the Fox Chapel girls soccer team, officials should stop the game and give that player an award.
The Foxes have recorded 10 shutouts and outscored opponents 76-5 on their way to a 10-0 section record. They are 11-1 overall.
“The defense has been outstanding from a team and individual perspective,” FC coach Peter Torres said. “The system that we play is a zonal defense, focusing on dictating play as much as possible. We understand that opponents will try different methods of attack, so we try to anticipate their methods and train to counter them.
“So far, we have had success in being able to minimize the amount of shots on goal and maintain support whenever our players are in one-on-one situations.”
Torres said experience and leadership have played vital roles so far. The defense is led by senior Alexis Schwartz, along with juniors Bryanna Urso, Annamarie Alfery and Katie Livingston.
“There is great leadership on the field, and the entire team prides themselves on being able to control the flow of a game,” he said. “Another defender, Harper Bennett, is healthy, playing well and challenging for playing time. The biggest addition to our team defense has been the return of senior Maggie Coulson. She has provided a huge presence in the midfield and takes a lot of pressure off of our back four.”
Before the season started, Torres thought the Foxes would be a force to reckon with on defense.
“You always start the season with the idea that you will be strong defensively,” he said. “We make sure that our JV team learns the system so we are consistent in our teaching. During games, we know teams play their best against Fox Chapel, and when we have breakdowns, we talk about it. The girls are receptive to our criticisms or adjustments. When we played Upper St. Clair, we scheduled the game to try to identify our weaknesses.”