SRU women's soccer breaks shutout record
SLIPPERY ROCK — Talk about stingy.
The Slippery Rock University women’s soccer team has not allowed a goal in 10 consecutive games, a school-record streak that encompasses 901 minutes, two seconds.
And Butler graduate Lisa Rodgers is right in the middle of it.
The SRU graduate student, who earned a degree from the University of Dayton, is the starting goalkeeper for The Rock (13-3-2, 10-2-2) and was between the posts for Saturday’s school-record 10th consecutive win, a 2-0 decision over Lock Haven at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
“I’ve never been part of a streak like this, but it’s not even in the back of my mind during the game,” Rodgers said. “I play in the moment.”
That’s how she was with 13:52 left in Saturday’s game, when she stonewalled Lock Haven’s Natalie Isett from 10 yards out to preserve the streak.
During the shutout streak, The Rock has won four 1-0 games and three 2-0 decisions. SRU has allowed one goal in the last 1,088 minutes of play.
“We defend from the front and attack from the back,” SRU coach Noreen Herlihy said. “It’s an effective system for us.”
It’s an effective system, period.
“We played the same style at Dayton,” Rodgers said. “That’s made this an easy adjustment for me.”
Rodgers has an 8-3-2 record this season. Fellow goalkeeper Dana O’Neill and her have combined for 12 shutouts. Rodgers and O’Neill have a combined save percentage of .920, ranking sixth in all of NCAA Division II.
O’Neill was SRU’s starting goalkeeper last year and has two years of eligibility remaining after this season.
“Dana has been a real trooper about all of this,” Herlihy said. “No one likes to give up playing time, but she recognizes the tremendous asset Lisa has been to our team.”
O’Neill said she learns something from Rodgers every day.
“Lisa is my coach right now and she’ll be my coach the next two years,” O’Neill said. “She’s making me better from training sessions alone.
“She leads by example and she’s so knowledgeable. She’s worked with me on playing angles and watching for crosses. ... I love having her here.”
O’Neill’s high school team — Leonardtown, Md. — won the state championship her senior year, finishing 18-0. She knows all about streaks.
“Once we have a two-goal lead in a game, we begin to think about it,” she said of The Rock’s scoreless streak. “We bear down that much more. We want to see how long we can keep it going.”
“It’s a big pride thing,” Herlihy said. “You want to defend your goal. Like I said, it all starts up front. (Forwards) Kara Mullins and Lucy Hannon are outstanding at controlling play.”
Rodgers faced only two shots on net Saturday. She’s made 49 saves on the season and O’Neill has stopped 20 shots.
SRU has allowed only six goals all season and hosts West Chester at 1 p.m. Tuesday in a PSAC playoff game.
“I like how the streak is a team thing,” Rodgers said. “It’s far from just the goalie. I do a lot of standing around watching play at the other end.
“This team works together. I love just being a part of that.”
