When Ernie DeSue, a longtime boys soccer coach in the Grove City area, took over as the high school girls coach, he began an early conditioning program in July.

He wasn't too thrilled by the turnout.

"I wasn't so naive to believe everyone would show up," DeSue said. "But it was not good."

That trepidation melted away quickly when the mandatory practices began. He saw a group of girls, representing all four classes, come together like no team he had ever coached before.

"I saw some things I liked in the early practices and scrimmages and some things I didn't like," DeSue said. "But by the first or second game, I said, 'Geez. We look pretty good.'"

And the proof of that goodness has been produced on the field all season.

Following a dominating 3-0 win over rival Slippery Rock Monday, the Eagles improved to 12-0-2 this season - not bad for a team with a new coach and a new style of play.

But steady has been the word in the Grove City camp this season DeSue changes little from game to game, opponent to opponent. He stresses defense and seizing opportunities, as the Eagles did in dispatching the Rockets.

"Actually, I never change anything," DeSue said. "I've always been from the school of if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Grove City is also a very balanced team. Several different players have scored goals this season for the Eagles, who have outscored opponents 45-7.

But the chemistry off the field might be just as important to Grove City's success as the chemistry on it.

"We've really done well with teamwork," said senior midfielder Ashley McKnight. "We're all close friends and we all work really well together."

"When they play the game well, you can see that chemical mix or whatever it is at work," DeSue said.

It doesn't hurt to have one of the most dominating defenses in the region.

Junior goalkeeper Emma Stapleton has excelled this season, recording eight shutouts, and has been helped by sweeper Christa Campbell and backs Jessica Hodge and Laura Buchannan to keep teams off the scoreboard.

"Christa Campbell is fast and quick, which helps," DeSue said. "Laura has the ability to win the ball and get us going the other way and Jessica Hodge is just relentless."

That has taken some of the pressure off McKnight and Jessica Nichols, Grove City's two leading scorers, who know they don't have to wear out the scoreboard for the Eagles to win.

Even though they haven't lost yet and have just four regular season games remaining, DeSue has not uttered the word "playoffs" yet.

"I try to get the girls to go out and play the same way every game," DeSue said. "One of the most important things I tell them is to play every game like it is the most important game of the season. That's usually what I say in my speech before the start of each game."

It's been drilled into them like a strong shot past a goalkeeper.

Even the players are surprised at how simple and effective that message has been.

"When we first played Mercer, we knew they were a good team, one of the best, and we knew we had to beat them to have a good season," McKnight said. "When we beat them, we knew we had a good shot at making the playoffs."

Nichols pointed to the win Monday over Slippery Rock as a pivotal game and one that affirmed Grove City's status as a top-tier team.

"I feel that way now," Nichols said. "I'm just glad it's over."

Even though the Eagles are looking at the here and now, thoughts of the playoffs still creep in. So do thoughts of the challenges in facing a team from the Erie area in the District 10 playoffs.

Erie teams have traditionally been the Goliaths in District 10. Grove City has never won a playoff game.

"The last couple of years we got experience playing them," McKnight said. "It's a good challenge."