The old adage says that defense wins championships. And with an offense ranked eighth in the Big Ten at only 1.02 goals per game, the Wisconsin women’s soccer team (8-4-2, 3-1-2) has its defense to thank for putting it in the hunt. The Badgers sit just four points behind first place Penn State in the standings with five Big Ten games remaining, wins being worth three points and ties worth one.
Not only do the Badgers rank fourth in goals against average at 0.93 goals allowed per game, the defense may just be hitting its stride heading into the Big Ten Tournament and a possible NCAA Tournament berth. Wisconsin has only allowed four goals in its six previous games, highlighted by a shutout of Penn State – still its only Big Ten loss – that leads the conference in scoring margin, goals scored and assist.
Senior goalkeeper Michele Dalton was also just named Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week for the first time this season, tallying a season-high 11 saves in a 2-0 shutout of Nebraska October 7.
“I talked with my goalkeeping coach afterwards, and we both agreed that it was probably the most complete game that either of us have ever seen me play,” Dalton said. “… Everything from a distribution standpoint, to making saves, to communicating, everything was spot on against Nebraska, and I just hope that I am able to continue that from here on out.”
That is quite a statement for someone who has won Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week five times in her career.
So what has allowed this defensive unit to gel so well this season? Not only do all the defensive players complement each other well, but as head coach Paula Wilkins says, the unit also contains key senior leaders in Meghan Flannery and Dalton who simply have a lot of experience playing with each other.
The elder stateswomen of the backline, Flannery, Dalton and junior defender Lindsey Johnson have started a combined 171 games for the cardinal and white.
“I think their relationship with one another [benefits them greatly] and obviously [assistant coach Patrick Farmer] works with them a lot, and I think he has huge input with them,” Wilkins said. “I also think one of the biggest things is the defending group is a competitive group. They are really competitive. They were attackers that have been moved to the back so they add some offense to us, and they are a pretty cohesive group.”
Dalton and Flannery are definitely the vocal leaders of the team, and it is not uncommon to hear Dalton yelling instructions loud enough for the entire crowd to hear her words.
“Michele is really vocal, and I think that helps me a lot because [I need that direction] sometimes … and Meghan communicates very well and she is very solid in the back, and I trust her back there,” Johnson said. “She makes me very comfortable.”
The good defense the Badgers have played this season is not lost on the players, and they realize that the chemistry the defensive players have is not something that every team is afforded.
“The way that we play together back there, it just feels right,” Dalton said. “I don’t know how else to describe it. It’s a unique situation because there are defenses out there and teams out there in general that just don’t click. I think we are just very fortunate that our back line just plays well together. We just click well together. I think that stems from good communication both from me and Meghan Flannery, another senior back there just maintaining composure and presence and communication.”
Dalton also gives all her teammates a lot of credit for having trust in her to make the proper defensive reads and adjustments throughout the course of the game, humbly admitting her calls are not always the correct ones.
“They are willing to listen and willing to learn and change things. It’s hard sometimes because I am not always 100 percent right in the things that I say sometimes back there,” Dalton says. “I do see the entire field and I am able to communicate and relay what I see, but sometimes I am not always right. For them to be willing to adjust and adapt and just keep the communication lines open between [Flannery, Johnson and me] is really important.”
For this Wisconsin team, defense isn’t a just a motto; it’s a way of life. Off the field, in practice or on game day, one goal is always too many.
Winning out the rest of the season will guarantee the Badgers at least a second place finish in the Big Ten, and there is a strong possibility of such a finish with all five remaining opponents trailing the Badgers in the conference standings. A small stumble at the finish line by Penn State and the Badgers could wind up Big Ten champs for the first time since 1994.
