Rock Wall
SLIPPERY ROCK — The offense has certainly done its part.
First-year Slippery Rock girls soccer coach Sarah Cessar can attest to that.
On a chilly, but sun-drenched, Thursday afternoon, Cessar stands in front of the goal on the Rockets' practice field and attempts so swat away shot after curving shot placed into the back of the net with uncommon precision from her team.
“We're hitting all these low-corner shots,” Cessar says, grinning.
It's been a familiar scene on the soccer pitch for Slippery Rock, which is 16-1, has racked up nearly 100 goals from 13 players, and is cruising into the District 9 2A playoffs as the region champion and No. 1 seed.
The Rockets open the playoffs at home Saturday at 12:30 p.m. against Harbor Creek — the team that put the only blemish on Slippery Rock's record this season.
“We have a lot of diverse players who can step up and do what we need them to do,” said junior midfielder Kayla Daugherty, who leads the team with 23 goals.
It's been a bounce-back season for the Rockets, who went 12-9 last season under Melanie Cole.
Cole stepped down late this summer.
Enter Cessar.
The Slippery Rock graduate who starred in three sports for the Rockets before moving on to Grove City College, took over with less than a month before the season opener after spending four years as an assistant girls soccer coach under Steve Perri at Butler.
“Steve has been a fantastic mentor,” said Cessar, 26, who is also a middle school teacher at Slippery Rock. “Even this year, I still call him and we still talk about the season and what's going on. Steve really solidified my knowledge of soccer and taught me so much. I'm so grateful for what I learned from him in the four years I got to spend at Butler.”
With the late upheaval, Daugherty was unsure of what to expect this season.
She and her teammates have been pleasantly surprised.
“We lost two seniors and we weren't sure what was going to happen with the coach situation, so I've been very impressed with our freshmen and our seniors stepping up and playing,” Daugherty said. “It's working really well.”
But as good as the offense has been, the defense has been better.
And that unit is perhaps the biggest reason why the Rockets are rolling in 2018.Cessar came into the Slippery Rock program with a fresh perspective and made some small, but ultimately significant, changes.The biggest was tweaking the defense and going with four defenders in front of incumbent keeper Julia Hart.“I knew we always had it in us, but we never really executed as well as we should,” said senior defender Emily Sarver. “We moved some positions around and it really has made a difference. We really feel confident.”Ashley Shea made the biggest move — and sacrifice.The sophomore found the back of the net 19 times last season, but Cessar switched Shea from forward to defense.She has been one of the stalwarts on a team that has surrendered a mere 66 shots and six goals in 2018.“She is the definition of a team player,” Cessar said of Shea. “She wants what's best for the team and if that means she's not going to get the press or all the glory in the paper, she'll do it.”Shea, Sarver, senior Tessa McHattie and freshman Hillary Burtner have formed the foundation of Slippery Rock's defense.“We have a formation that we really love,” Hart said. “Our teammwork is good — we don't argue. We communicate well. We have good team chemistry. And it's all working for us right now.”Sarver said anonymity comes with the position.And they're OK with that as long as the wins keep piling up along with the shutouts.“I don't think we really care about whether or not we're getting attention,” Sarver said. “We just give our best. I don't need to be in the paper to get recognized. I think people know who we are and that we don't let goals in.”The Slippery Rock defense doesn't just want to put a zero on the scoreboard.They want to make Hart the loneliest player on the field.If the Rockets had their druthers, Hart would never have to make a save.“They don't get enough credit, I'll tell you what,” Cessar said. “They do a fantastic job back there. We talk before every game that we want to stop every shot from even getting to Julia. The goal is for Julia to not have to do anything.”Hart is just fine with that.But when she has had to spring into action, the junior has done so.“It's a testament to Julia,” Cessar said. “Sometimes she's standing back there for 30 minutes and then suddenly, they'll get a fast break and she has to be ready. She still comes up clutch.”Hart and that defense will be tested Saturday against Harbor Creek, which beat Slippery Rock 1-0 all the way back on Sept. 9.A lot has changed since then — for the better in Slippery Rock, which has won 15 straight.“Our girls are very excited,” Cessar said. “They are ready to play Harbor Creek again. It was a fun game to watch last time with some quality soccer. There was good passing, good possessions on both ends — it wasn't just kickball, where you're kicking it back and forth. We can't wait to see what happens.”Hart summed it up succinctly.“We're ready,” said Hart, who missed the Harbor Creek game in September with an injury. “We're just ready.”
