The stat sheet never tells the story for the back line.
Senior Matt Witt: zero goals and zero assists. Junior Drew Ratner: one goal and one assist. Sophomore Pat Coleman: zero goals and one assist.
But the defenders’ play on the back line has helped No. 6 Northwestern (8-1-1) become one of the best teams in the nation heading into today’s game against defense-minded DePaul (8-3-0).
“We’re an attacking team,” coach Tim Lenahan said. “We want to score goals. We want to get numbers forward. But it’s nice to know that the guys in the back can keep the fort down. We know we’re going to score goals.”
The Wildcats are scoring 2.3 goals per game, 11th in the nation.
More impressively, NU is giving up 0.40 goals per game, fourth in the country.Sophomore goalkeeper Misha Rosenthal has seven shutouts, already tying J.D. Martin’s single-season mark set in 2002. NU is second in the nation, trailing only No. 1 Connecticut’s eight shutouts this season.
“The accolades are nice,” junior defender Geoff Fallon said. “They don’t mean anything just yet. We still have bigger goals and bigger accomplishments to achieve. It’s very nice for Misha and our back line. But all of us are focused on continuing what we’ve built already and to continue with the season and continue winning.”
Coleman said the defense has played well because of the experience they have playing with each other. Many of the starters from last year’s team, which gave up 0.97 goals a game last year, have returned.
Ratner, Witt, Fallon, senior midfielder David Roth and junior defender Brian Usinger played together this summer on the Chicago Fire Premier team in the Premier Development League. The team played 18 games against other teams filled with college players and professional hopefuls.The summer league helped the players stay in game shape and gain even more experience playing with each other.
Ratner said playing together has made the defense familiar with each other, allowing them to anticipate each other and play better defense.
“We know how each other thinks and moves,” Ratner said. “We’re all on the same page and when everyone is on the same page it makes it easier for us to organize.”
The play from the defense has enabled the Cats to get out on the attack more often. The offense gets a confidence boost from the defense making key stops. In return, the defense is helped by the strong play from the offense.
“It takes a load off our back to know that they can score two or three goals a game,” Fallon said. “It takes a load off their back too to know that we’re putting up zeros back there. It’s an interchanging confidence – building between us. So it’s great for our team.”
Ratner said the quick scoring from the offense has allowed the defense to sit back and counter the other team, rather than having to go after the first goal.But Witt said the defense can make the plays when the offense isn’t scoring.
“If there’s a point in the game where (the offense is) struggling a little bit, we take it upon ourselves to step it up and get through it and not allow a goal,” Witt said. “We don’t let (the opponent) get it off and we know they’ll come together at some point in the game and get a goal.”
Reach Philip Rossman-Reich [email protected] .
