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Getting Defensive
THURSDAY | OCTOBER 11, 2007
Michigan's defense has been at its best this season against the nation's top teams, shutting out two squads ranked in the top 10 in the country. In the season opener, U-M ended then-No. 2 Notre Dame's 32-game home winning streak with a 0-0 tie in South Bend, Ind. Most recently Michigan held conference co-leader Purdue, then listed No. 8, without a goal in a scoreless tie at home.
A pair of fifth-year players, Lindsey Cottrell and Emily Kalmbach (pictured), anchor the Wolverines' backline. "It is huge to have experience, especially in your defense because we lost (goalkeeper) Megan Tuura," Rademacher said. "With Lindsey and Emily, it just makes it that much more consistent and that much stronger."
The emphasis on defense is nothing new; Michigan has always been known as a defensive-minded team. Rademacher's focus on protecting the defensive-third harkens back to her collegiate days at Massachusetts, where she made four NCAA Final Four appearances and was named Defensive Most Valuable Player in the Final Four in 1987.
"I coach defense. I think you can generate your offense when you play good team-defense and you win the ball," Rademacher said. "That can spark your attack. That was the philosophy and I really bought into it. I think if you can defend any team, you are going to be in any game."
While keeping the opposing attackers away from the 18-yard box is top priority, launching a successful attack in the other direction is also a big part of the defenders' job description. Two of Michigan's outside backs, Kalmbach and Amy Klippert, grew up playing forward for their club and high school squads. This, Rademacher says, is by design.
"I think you can generate a lot of your attack from the back, and if you have good attacking players with a defensive mentality -- tackling presence and good in the air -- then they are going to really succeed, especially on the outside."
The Wolverines and their defense will get another top-10 challenge this week when they head to No. 10 Penn State for a Sunday afternoon contest. | | | | |
