The goalkeeper transferred from Iowa State. The central defenders played in the midfield last season. The freshman fullback scored the winning goal of the Missouri class two high school state championship game last spring.

This unlikely combination of players has inspired the best start in Marquette women's soccer history.

In the team's first nine games in 2004, it allowed three or more goals four times. In seven matches this season, the Golden Eagles (6-0-1) have conceded just three goals. The new face in front of the net, sophomore Laura Boyer, has four shutouts.

"Laura Boyer and our backline deserve a lot of credit, but defending falls under the entire team," said head coach Markus Roeders.

Forwards play defense by pressuring the opposition's defenders and forcing them to rush passes. Midfielders must do a bit of everything: read the play, tackle and retreat when under attack.

"We all pretty much play defense," Boyer said. "We're really good at anticipating passes and tracking back."

Midfielders who track back alleviate the burden of senior Heather Goranson and junior Michelle Pitzl, the converted centerbacks who have thrived in their new roles this season.

"I didn't play with the team last year, and I couldn't tell you that they hadn't ever played defense," Boyer said. "We haven't allowed many direct shots on goal. They always force them to the side."

Pitzl has assumed the role of a stopper that tackles everything in sight.

Goranson plays behind her as the last line of defense before Boyer and acts as a calming influence for the team.

"She's a leader on the field," said senior midfielder Sarah Uyenishi. "She helped the younger players out a lot."

Katie Kelly did not expect to play as much as she has in the first seven games. Injuries to other players placed her in the starting lineup by the second game against Northwestern, in which she scored the game-winning goal.

"Markus (Roeders) is always saying if you have a chance to go forward, go forward," Kelly said. She won a second game with her long-range prowess against Xavier.

Kelly has also heeded the advice of the experienced Goranson.

"She knows that we can't prevent every shot from coming," Kelly said. "When one of us gets beat, she's not mad at us. She's always keeping me focused. She keeps everyone motivated."

The vocal leadership of Boyer has also been instrumental to the defense's success.

"The communication between Boyer and us has kept us connected," Kelly said. "We're all working for each other."

"Any goalie has to be the quarterback on the field because I see everything," Boyer said. "I keep the team and myself focused."

Marquette must stay focused as it prepares for its first Big East games, the first of which is Friday night's match against South Florida at Valley Fields.

"We just need to keep working on connecting passes, playing through balls and possessing the ball," Boyer said. "If we just play around (our opponents), they'll get frustrated."

Goranson summed up Marquette's near-perfect start to the season: "We focus on defense, and our offense is generated from our defense."

And as Kelly has shown, sometimes quite literally.

This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on September 15, 2005.