By Alan Babbitt
The pressure is always present on the field, with an opponent to crack a stingy Hope College defense that ranks among the nation's best with women's soccer.
How have the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association-champion and NCAA Tournament-bound Flying Dutch managed to handle the intensity and craziness so well with one of the best defensive efforts in school history? And with a freshman goalie to boot?
Together.
Junior Eliza Beird of Holland, Michigan (Black River) said she and her Hope teammates in the back line rely on a strong chemistry both on and off the field.
"We have been playing together for about three years — we know how everyone plays," Beird said. "We have a fluid backline as we are familiar with each other and each other's style of play. Another thing that is huge is communication. Our coaches really pushed communication with us. We're talking all the time back there, even if it seems like little trivial things. We know when people are behind us and in front of us and moving."
The Flying Dutch (18-2-1 overall) have allowed only eight goals in 21 matches so far this season — the second-best defensive effort in team history.
Only the 2005 team — which also won a school-record 18 games — yielded fewer. Seven to be exact.
Together, Hope takes its staunch defense into Friday's NCAA Tournament opener vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater at the University of Chicago. Kickoff is 1:30 p.m. Central.
NCAA Tournament Page: Hope | Chicago
"We have a rotation of 4 juniors and 1 freshmen," head coach Leigh Sears said. "The juniors have a lot of experience and had a hunger in the offseason to earn more playing time and starting positions. All have great fitness which helps them stay sharp throughout a game in their decision making. They also take great pride in keeping opponents from scoring/earning shutouts."
Besides Beird, the Flying Dutch start juniors Morgan Buursma of Grandville, Michigan (Grandville) and Kristen Marsman of Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian).
Freshman Corinne Cole of St. Paul, Minnesota (Eastview) and junior Lindsay Kooy of Metamora, Michigan (Flint Powers Catholic) have come off the bench to provide protection for freshman goalie Jordanne Ellingboe of Grand Haven, Michigan (Grand Haven).
Junior Murphy Stadelmaier of Midland, Michigan (H.H. Dow) bolstered that depth when she returned in Saturday's MIAA Tournament championship match after being sidelined for a few weeks because of injury.
Together, they have helped Hope rank 11th in the country with a .714 shutout percentage (15 shutouts in 21 matches) and 13th with a .377 goals against average. National leader Messiah, Pennsylvania is first at 0.151.
Communication is key, Buursma said.
"All of us are super close outside of soccer as well, so when it comes to communicating and working together it comes a lot more naturally," Buursma said. "I think every person in the back works extremely hard and takes a lot of pride in having shutouts and not letting balls get through us. All over the field, our team does a great job of applying pressure on the ball quickly which really makes our job as defenders a lot easier."
Ellingboe stepped in as starter in the third match of the season. She has been credited with 12 shutouts — ranking her fourth in team history behind Holly Nestle (15 apiece in 2003 and 2005) and Mary Clare Theis (13 in 2014).
Together, the Flying Dutch have limited the number of scoring opportunities she faces.
Opponents have only 55 shots on goal compared to Hope's 272.
"Our personalities also complement each other well," Beird said. "When one of us gets frantic or flustered, there is someone on the back line who can always bring us back and calm us down. It changes each game. It's huge that we can all do this for each other to help the backline stay cool in pressure situations."
Together also draws in help from midfielders and forwards.
"A huge thing also is just the entire team effort to limit shots--when we (the backline) clear the ball, the forwards do an awesome job of high pressuring the other team and holding the ball for us," Beird said. "Our mids do a great job of tracking with their marks and keeping the ball from getting to the forwards' feet. The work starts up top so the defense doesn't have as many pressure situations."
