North Carolina State University Athletics
PEELER: A Work-Hoarse in Goal
9/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 23, 2010
Wolfpack Opens ACC Play at Clemson
BY TIM PEELER
RALEIGH, N.C. – By the end of almost every game the NC State women’s soccer team has played this year, goalkeeper Kim Kern’s voice has gone hoarse.
And, even though she’s been screaming more than usual at her teammates, she’s not mad at them. She’s just been shouting a lot of instructions to make sure they are in the right place at all times.
That communication is key for a back defensive line that is composed of four players who had never played a college game there prior to this season.
Three of those back-line defenders – Claudel Pilon, Randi Soldat and Stacey Smith – are true freshmen, who won jobs in preseason practice after two regulars from last year, Alex Berger and Alyson Santilli, were injured. The other, junior Paige Dugal, was moved from forward prior to the season.
That’s a scary proposition for a goalie like Kern, who would rather have opposing players stopped long before they get in to position to take a shot. But, heading into tonight’s ACC opener at Clemson, the Wolfpack’s defense has been outstanding, thanks in part to Kern’s communication to the backline.
She has also been exceptional in the goal. Each of the Wolfpack’s six wins has been by shutout, and the team has allowed just five goals in its three losses. Last weekend in a 1-0 victory at Old Dominion, she recorded nine saves to preserve the shutout, just one away from her career high.
“That was fun,” Kern said. “I kept making saves. It was time for me to step up and have one of those games because I hadn’t all year. It’s nice that I could step up and be the one to do it.”
Her play in goal has been a key part of the Wolfpack’s defensive improvement over the last two years. Prior to head coach Steve Springthorpe’s arrival, when Kern was the starter for 10 games, the Pack allowed 40 goals. Last year, when she started every game, that total was reduced to 27. If NC State is to be successful in conference play, Springthorpe needs the defense to continue playing well.
“We’ve only given up five goals this year in nine games, but the conference will be the telling point,” Springthorpe said. “The games are much tougher, the level of competition is even tougher. I hope we’re able to give up fewer goals than we did last year.
“For us, we’ll always defend first and attack second.”
Obviously, Kern is a big part of that, not only in blocking shots in front of the net, but in setting the defense in front of her.
“If a goalie is communicating effectively and the players in front are where they need to be, you shouldn’t really get any shots,” Kern said. “If I am doing my job that way, then no shots means no goals. I am not complaining there.
“It’s always fun to get your hands on the ball, but that’s what goalie training is for. I would rather have the ball nowhere near me in the game.”
She’s getting strong support from the young players in front of her. She loves their enthusiasm, even if she loses her voice at times trying to get everyone in position.
“Having a lot of freshmen on the field is a bonus, really,” Kern said. “They’re so zealous to get to the ball. They run, run, run. We have a nice balance between the upperclassmen who are calm and the freshmen who are ready to go take someone out.”
Though she’s in her third year as a starter for the Wolfpack, Kern didn’t initially want to be a goalie. She played in the mid-field throughout middle school, in club soccer and even into her freshman year of high school. But she made the switch to goalie in the ninth grade and has been there ever since.
In 2007, she helped Raleigh’s Leesville Road High School win the first of its consecutive North Carolina State High School Association 4-A championships. She chose to play for the Wolfpack, and made 10 starts in goal as a freshman. Last year, she made a total of 77 saves and recorded three shutouts, a number she’s already matched this season.
“She’s been very consistent,” Springthorpe said. “She does some things extremely well. Her distribution is good. Her decision-making has been pretty good. She communicates well with our back line and organizes pretty well. In the games we lost, there is nothing attributed to anything she has done that resulted in those goals.
“They were either well-struck or we made a mistake on the back line.”
Kern is determined to keep the ball out of the net as the Wolfpack makes the transition to ACC play.
“We just need to keep the communication going,” she said.
Right up until her voice disappears.
You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
