• Support
  • Advertise
  • Locations
  • Contact
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTERS
San Clemente Times
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Best of San Clemente
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Go See Do
    • Good Eats
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Money Matters
    • San Clemente Trolley Route Map
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
    • Triton Football Preview
  • SC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Best of San Clemente
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Go See Do
    • Good Eats
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Money Matters
    • San Clemente Trolley Route Map
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
    • Triton Football Preview
  • SC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
No Result
View All Result
San Clemente Times
No Result
View All Result

San Clemente Girls Soccer’s Swarming Defensive Approach Leads to Shutouts

Staff by Staff
January 11, 2018 3:32PM
in SPORTS & OUTDOORS, Sports Headlines
San Clemente Girls Soccer’s Swarming Defensive Approach Leads to Shutouts

San Clemente’s Maxine Davey protects the ball from a Dana Hills player. San Clemente tied Dana Hills, 1-1, on Jan. 9 at Dana Hills High School. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

0
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Zach Cavanagh

Swarming. Suffocating. Stingy.

This is the defensive philosophy of the San Clemente girls soccer team.

It’s worked to great success as the Tritons boast an 11-1-4 record as of Jan. 10 and have only allowed six goals all season with 12 shutouts.

“As soon as we lose the ball, everyone tries to win it back right away,” San Clemente coach Lauren Leslie said. “If we don’t win it back in four to five seconds, then we defensively organize. That’s part of our M.O. is to get the ball back right away.”

Defense leads directly to offense for San Clemente. After the swarm, the backline looks up for the forwards, and it’s off to the races.

“We’ve had so many games that they’ve learned to play as a unit,” Leslie said. “The offense knows what the defense is going to do when they have the ball. We’re usually trying to connect out of the back, so they know the runs to make.”

Leading the defense is senior goalkeeper Kelsey Bland. Bland is the latest in a line of San Clemente keepers that have given the Tritons their reputation on defense.

“She’s a leader, she’s a captain,” Leslie said. “She’s stepping up to the plate. After following Lauren Brzykcy (UCLA), I think she learned a lot from her.”

Bland and her defenders like Molly Engel, Gabi Drabkin, London Irwin and Rylee Rask have become a tight and formidable unit.

“We’re pretty close,” Bland said. We’ve been playing together for a few years now. We’re really close on and off the field. We have a connection. Most often than not, we’re a solid wall. I feel really confident back there with my defensive line.

San Clemente was spurred out to its current record from a streak of nine consecutive shutouts in the month of December for a 7-0-2 record over that span.

Bland had a concussion early in the season, so the back-up keepers, Skylar Staab and Sophia Reason, had to and did step up for San Clemente. The Tritons posted a shutout in 10 of their first 11 games.

“It’s very difficult, to begin with,” Bland said of getting shutouts. “I think this year, we’ve had our best record so far. Getting another shutout is great, and the pressure of not letting another goal go in. We just go out with the mindset of no goals against. If it does happen, just shake it off, start over and reset.”

Now into league play, shutouts may be harder to come by with the South Coast League as strong as ever. Dana Hills is having a down season but earned a 1-1 draw against San Clemente in the league opener on Jan. 9.

“I love having a tough league,” Leslie said. “The girls get excited for each game.”

The league slate only gets tougher as the Tritons move on to host defending league champion Aliso Niguel on Tuesday, Jan. 16. Aliso Niguel is No. 5 in the latest CIF-SS Division 1 poll.

San Clemente lost both games against the Wolverines last season.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Tags: Defensegirls soccerLauren LeslieSan ClementeSan Clemente HighSCHSShutoutssoccerSouth Coast LeagueswarmingTriton soccerTritons
ShareTweetPin
Staff

Staff

Related Posts

‘By-the-Wind Sailors’ Wash Ashore on Southern California Beaches

‘By-the-Wind Sailors’ Wash Ashore on Southern California Beaches

June 6, 2023
Falling Debris from Casa Romantica Prompts Train Service Suspension Through San Clemente

Falling Debris from Casa Romantica Prompts Train Service Suspension Through San Clemente

June 5, 2023
Assistance League Provides Scholarships to Local Graduating Seniors

Assistance League Provides Scholarships to Local Graduating Seniors

June 2, 2023
GALLERY: Newest Class of 2023 Triton Alumni Celebrate Commencement at San Clemente High

GALLERY: Newest Class of 2023 Triton Alumni Celebrate Commencement at San Clemente High

June 2, 2023
Next Post
Triton Report: Girls Water Polo Opens League Big

Triton Report: Girls Water Polo Opens League Big

Discussion about this post

No Result
View All Result

SC Times Daily
Get important news and updates delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

Subscriptions
Don’t get the SC Times delivered to your home? Subscribe today.

Advertising
Get new customers and drive traffic to your business. Advertise with us.

Support Local Journalism
For less than the cost of a couple of cups of coffee a month, become an “Insider” member and continue to get “Local News You Can Use” from the only independently owned, dedicated local news organization in South Orange County.

Contribute today.

Picket Fence Media is a proud member of the SoCal Media Network.

  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Dana Point Times
  • The Capistrano Dispatch
  • Terms of Use
  • About Us

© 2023 Picket Fence Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Best of San Clemente
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Go See Do
    • Good Eats
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Money Matters
    • San Clemente Trolley Route Map
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
    • Triton Football Preview
  • SC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who

© 2023 Picket Fence Media