University of Delaware Athletics
Column: Why The Back Line Has Been Crucial To Delaware's Historic Season
10/29/2019 10:47:00 AM | Women's Soccer
The Delaware women's soccer team's 3-2 overtime win over UNCW on Sunday afternoon, a day that saw the Blue Hens both honor their senior class and clinch a first-round bye in the Colonial Athletic Association tournament, didn't fit the profile of a typical Delaware win.
In 2019, the Blue Hens have recorded nine shutout wins, the second-most in program history. From Sept. 26 to Oct. 10, Delaware went over 423 minutes without conceding a goal, winning three consecutive matches by a 1-0 score line in that stretch. The Blue Hens hold a 0.80 goals against average (goals allowed per 90 minutes), the top mark in the CAA.
But even in an uncharacteristically offensive game, Delaware's back line provided key moments that helped secure a No. 2 seed and a home semifinal for the Blue Hens, the best ever CAA finish for the program.
After a giveaway late in the first half, junior Olivia Schuck recovered quickly to deny position to a UNCW attacker at the top of the box. As the Seahawk forward laid the ball off for a teammate, sophomore Arna Arnthorsdottir hustled to track back and win a tackle in the box before the Seahawks could get a shot off.
As UNCW pushed for an equalizer late in the second half, Schuck made an athletic play to clear a ball off the line after the Seahawks directed a corner kick on goal.
While the skillful strikes from Anna Diffendal and Dani Kabat, and the dramatic game-winner from Sara D'Appolonia will be the memories that stand out from the win, the moments from the back line were just as important, and were emblematic of that unit's importance all season long.
"They're huge," head coach Mike Barroqueiro said. "Everybody plays a role and everybody makes a contribution. Sometimes it's on the field, sometimes it's not. Sometimes it's by making that run and blocking a shot, sometimes it's just by bringing that energy for our team."
Searching for a way to produce more goals, late in the 2018 season Barroqueiro and his staff decided to switch their formation to a 3-5-2, away from a more traditional four-man back line.
"It's something that myself and my staff, we've always wanted to do since we got here," Barroqueiro said. "You've got to have the right personnel at the right time. We felt like, starting with last spring, we were going to have the returning group to be able to do it."
That ideal personnel group features Arnthorsdottir at left back, Schuck at center back, and junior Maria Gentile at right back. Each of the three brings a unique skillset to the table, but in a way that complements the other two.
Schuck has a physical presence that's necessary as a center back, but with a positional awareness that allows her to snuff out attacks before they begin. On her flank, Gentile possesses athleticism to win 1-on-1 battles consistently in addition to speed that gets her involved in Delaware's attack. At 5-foot-6, Arnthorsdottir is smaller than a typical left back, but more than makes up for it with a technical proficiency that shuts down opposing attackers.
With three solid defenders in front of sophomore goalkeeper Kamryn Stablein, Delaware is able to push numbers forward into the attack. The Blue Hens like to apply pressure high up the field, forcing opposing teams into mistakes and turnovers. With that, comes a risk of teams launching counter-attacks to catch the Hens out of position. The athleticism and skill of the back three makes up for what would normally be a vulnerability.
"I just know if one of us steps [up], somebody else is going to be there to help us out," Schuck said. "We all have the same mentality: nobody's getting by us. This is our back line, we have to protect it at all costs."
The margin of error in the three-man back line is thin, so the element of trust that Schuck mentions is critical to its success. The three have built that trust and understanding through a season where they have almost constantly been on the field together. Schuck has played every minute this season, while Arnthorsdottir and Gentile have missed just one match each.
"There is really good balance across that back line, and I think you play the amount of minutes together that they've played, you're bound to develop some type of chemistry, some camaraderie," Barroqueiro said. "It's been really good for us."
Of course, the Blue Hens' defensive excellence isn't due to just the three defenders. Stablein has been stellar in goal, leading the league in GAA (0.83) and save percentage (.797). Late in the second half against UNCW, she faced a 1-on-1 challenge from 10 yards out, but dove to her left to punch the shot wide.
"Listen, I think Kam is unequivocally one of the best, if not the best goalkeeper in the conference. She's just so unbelievably consistent," Barroqueiro said. "And there's some great goalkeepers in the conference, so I'm not trying to take away from anybody else, but Kam is a part of that defensive unit, certainly a massive reason why we are where we are right now."
Senior Jessica Kennett plays as a central defensive midfielder, sitting just in front of the back line in Delaware's typical formation. An aggressive, ball-winning midfielder, Kennett is also great at playing long balls from her deep lying position to spring attackers on runs.
Altogether, Delaware notched a 12-6 record in 2019, an eight-win improvement over its 4-12-2 record in 2018, tied for the biggest turnaround in Division I. And the Blue Hens are just getting started. Delaware will host the winner of UNCW-James Madison (to be played Friday afternoon in Newark) on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 1 p.m. from Grant Stadium.
"It feels amazing. I know that a lot of the girls have worked really, really hard this year and just came in fit," Stablein said. "We knew from the second we stepped on the field that this year we were going to be it. Just seeing everybody's hard work pay off, it's so gratifying."
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In 2019, the Blue Hens have recorded nine shutout wins, the second-most in program history. From Sept. 26 to Oct. 10, Delaware went over 423 minutes without conceding a goal, winning three consecutive matches by a 1-0 score line in that stretch. The Blue Hens hold a 0.80 goals against average (goals allowed per 90 minutes), the top mark in the CAA.
But even in an uncharacteristically offensive game, Delaware's back line provided key moments that helped secure a No. 2 seed and a home semifinal for the Blue Hens, the best ever CAA finish for the program.
After a giveaway late in the first half, junior Olivia Schuck recovered quickly to deny position to a UNCW attacker at the top of the box. As the Seahawk forward laid the ball off for a teammate, sophomore Arna Arnthorsdottir hustled to track back and win a tackle in the box before the Seahawks could get a shot off.
As UNCW pushed for an equalizer late in the second half, Schuck made an athletic play to clear a ball off the line after the Seahawks directed a corner kick on goal.
While the skillful strikes from Anna Diffendal and Dani Kabat, and the dramatic game-winner from Sara D'Appolonia will be the memories that stand out from the win, the moments from the back line were just as important, and were emblematic of that unit's importance all season long.
"They're huge," head coach Mike Barroqueiro said. "Everybody plays a role and everybody makes a contribution. Sometimes it's on the field, sometimes it's not. Sometimes it's by making that run and blocking a shot, sometimes it's just by bringing that energy for our team."
Searching for a way to produce more goals, late in the 2018 season Barroqueiro and his staff decided to switch their formation to a 3-5-2, away from a more traditional four-man back line.
"It's something that myself and my staff, we've always wanted to do since we got here," Barroqueiro said. "You've got to have the right personnel at the right time. We felt like, starting with last spring, we were going to have the returning group to be able to do it."
That ideal personnel group features Arnthorsdottir at left back, Schuck at center back, and junior Maria Gentile at right back. Each of the three brings a unique skillset to the table, but in a way that complements the other two.
Schuck has a physical presence that's necessary as a center back, but with a positional awareness that allows her to snuff out attacks before they begin. On her flank, Gentile possesses athleticism to win 1-on-1 battles consistently in addition to speed that gets her involved in Delaware's attack. At 5-foot-6, Arnthorsdottir is smaller than a typical left back, but more than makes up for it with a technical proficiency that shuts down opposing attackers.
With three solid defenders in front of sophomore goalkeeper Kamryn Stablein, Delaware is able to push numbers forward into the attack. The Blue Hens like to apply pressure high up the field, forcing opposing teams into mistakes and turnovers. With that, comes a risk of teams launching counter-attacks to catch the Hens out of position. The athleticism and skill of the back three makes up for what would normally be a vulnerability.
"I just know if one of us steps [up], somebody else is going to be there to help us out," Schuck said. "We all have the same mentality: nobody's getting by us. This is our back line, we have to protect it at all costs."
The margin of error in the three-man back line is thin, so the element of trust that Schuck mentions is critical to its success. The three have built that trust and understanding through a season where they have almost constantly been on the field together. Schuck has played every minute this season, while Arnthorsdottir and Gentile have missed just one match each.
"There is really good balance across that back line, and I think you play the amount of minutes together that they've played, you're bound to develop some type of chemistry, some camaraderie," Barroqueiro said. "It's been really good for us."
Of course, the Blue Hens' defensive excellence isn't due to just the three defenders. Stablein has been stellar in goal, leading the league in GAA (0.83) and save percentage (.797). Late in the second half against UNCW, she faced a 1-on-1 challenge from 10 yards out, but dove to her left to punch the shot wide.
"Listen, I think Kam is unequivocally one of the best, if not the best goalkeeper in the conference. She's just so unbelievably consistent," Barroqueiro said. "And there's some great goalkeepers in the conference, so I'm not trying to take away from anybody else, but Kam is a part of that defensive unit, certainly a massive reason why we are where we are right now."
Senior Jessica Kennett plays as a central defensive midfielder, sitting just in front of the back line in Delaware's typical formation. An aggressive, ball-winning midfielder, Kennett is also great at playing long balls from her deep lying position to spring attackers on runs.
Altogether, Delaware notched a 12-6 record in 2019, an eight-win improvement over its 4-12-2 record in 2018, tied for the biggest turnaround in Division I. And the Blue Hens are just getting started. Delaware will host the winner of UNCW-James Madison (to be played Friday afternoon in Newark) on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 1 p.m. from Grant Stadium.
"It feels amazing. I know that a lot of the girls have worked really, really hard this year and just came in fit," Stablein said. "We knew from the second we stepped on the field that this year we were going to be it. Just seeing everybody's hard work pay off, it's so gratifying."
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