Deeeeee-fense: Defense is clearly trending in the college game this season. This past week we had more evidence that top teams are growing stingier by the game. Duke posted a 0-0 tie with Virginia and a 1-0 victory over Virginia Tech to record their ninth shutout of the year, tying a Blue Devil single-season record with plenty of season to go. Marquette beat Cincinnati 4-0 on Sunday for their eighth shutout of the season. Then there’s undefeated Memphis, which ran its shutout total to eight as goalkeeper Elise Kuhar-Pitters continued to redesign the Tigers record books. Kuhar-Pitters holds the school mark for career shutouts (31) and victories (47).

And let’s not even talk about Oklahoma State …    

 

Actually, let’s: We’ll keep this brief, it’s growing redundant. With their 3-0 walkthrough of rival Oklahoma Friday, the Lady Cowboys have now won 14 straight, a school record. Goalkeeper Adrianna Franch added the 24th shutout of her career in the victory.   

Melissa Sanger

Don’t get upset: California did. The No. 18 Golden Bears surprisingly fell 2-0 to Washington State on Sunday. But they were far from the only team to be blindsided. Pacific earned a banner Big West victory over No. 24 UC Irvine 3-2 in overtime on Sunday. Alex Topp netted the game-winner in the 95th minute.  No. 28 West Virginia fell in a lopsided 4-1 defeat at the hands of Villanova on Sunday and No. 30 Auburn was stunned by Mississippi State 2-0 on Sunday.  

Brick wall: LaSalle goalkeeper Melissa Sanger must be from the future, because nothing gets past her (Get it? … Not really? Me either). The senior keeper, who didn’t play at all in 2010 when she red-shirted, has kept opponents off the scoreboard in 11 consecutive games this season. That’s ridiculous dominance, and also speaks to the Explorers defensive unit as a whole – the driving force behind the program’s 10-0-1 start.  

Hawkeyes closed: You may not have noticed, but an undefeated streak came to an end this past weekend when No. 42 Iowa lost 1-0 to Michigan for its first loss of the season. Nkem Ezurike scored the winner for the Wolverines in the 53rd minute and Michigan scored a nice Big Ten triumph in what is a tough conference. For the Hawkeyes it ended a 12-game unbeaten streak and an eight-game win streak that were both program bests. 

Division II & III 

 

In the land of Division II action, there’s a particular performer who has caught our eye. Brittany Barry, of St. Rose, is leading the nation with 12 goals in what is turning into a special and quite rare freshman season. We’ll be keeping an eye on her. 

In DIII action, Central College’s Alayna Bailey delivered again for her team with a game-winning goal in the 85th minute that lifted the squad past Coe College. Bailey’s goal is her fifth game-winner of the season which leads the country.