WSoc Blog: Steadman Sure of Defense
November 13, 2014 06:55 PM | General
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Twenty-one matches into her Mountaineer women’s soccer career, junior goalkeeper Hannah Steadman is fully certain of one fact – West Virginia’s back line is good….really good.
A fearsome foursome, the Mountaineers’ stout defense, led by two-time reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Kadeisha Buchanan, is a big reason why WVU rides a program-record 18-match unbeaten streak into the 2014 NCAA Tournament. Buchanan, along with her center-back partner Carly Black and outside backs Jess Crowder and Maggie Bedillion, have made life relatively easy for Steadman in her first season at WVU.
The Mountaineers have allowed 15 goals in 21 matches, with seven coming in the first three games of the season. The squad’s first shutout came in a 2-0 blanking of Elon on Aug. 31. Since that match, WVU has posted 10 more shutouts, with Steadman earning credit for all but one.
“When I look back at the scoreboard after a game and only see two or three shots on-goal, I give credit to my backs because they’re the ones before me shutting down the forwards and not letting them get a shot off,” Steadman, a member of the 2014 All-Big 12 Newcomer Team, explained. “If they are getting a shot off, it’s coming right to me, so it’s harmless. All together, the backs and I have been playing well. Collectively, we have really clicked, and I think we’re clicking at the right time – at the peak of the season when it really matters.”
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“(Georgetown) does have dynamic players, but I don’t think that’s going to change the way we play our defense,” Steadman said. “We will take care of them and play our game.”
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The Mountaineers’ unbeaten streak is on the cusp of breaking a long-standing record, as the team is one win or tie way from toppling the 18-match record set by the 2002 team. That squad, which featured associate head coach Lisa Stoia and assistant coach Marisa Kanela, finished with an 18-3-1 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
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As the 2014 NCAA Tournament bracket was unveiled Monday evening, one fact stood out – the Big 12 Conference would be very well represented this year.
An impressive six squads earned a bid, the highest total for the league since 2008 and doubling the conference’s bids from one year ago. All six schools will host first-round matches this weekend.
“The Big 12 Conference, from top to bottom, has proven that it is tremendously stronger this year,” said three-time reigning Big 12 Coach of the Year Nikki Izzo-Brown. “The teams are going to be a force in the tournament this year, and I’m really pulling for every team to make some noise. It’s really exciting for the Big 12.”
The six NCAA bids are tied for third among all conferences. The Big 12 is rated as the No. 2 conference in the nation in the latest RPI.
The Mountaineers (16-2-3, 7-0-1), the 2014 Big 12 regular-season and tournament champions, earned the conference’s automatic bid for the second straight season. WVU and Texas Tech both scored No. 3 seeds.
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The Mountaineers’ march to the 2014 NCAA College Cup begins Saturday against the Hoyas. Ticket prices for Saturday’s match are $7 for adults and $5 for youth and senior citizens. Admission is free for West Virginia University students with a valid student ID. Groups of 10 or more can purchase tickets in advance for $2 through the Mountaineer Ticket Office in the WVU Coliseum or by calling 1-800-WVU GAME.
Saturday is the perfect opportunity for Mountaineer Nation to not only come out and welcome back the Big 12 champions, but also to push the team to a deep run in the tournament! Come early, stay late and cheer loudly! As always – Let’s Go Mountaineers!
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