UNC's two of a kind

Goalies are OK sharing position

The goalkeepers of the women's soccer team at North Carolina usually share playing time during the regular season, competing for the chance to win the job in the tournaments.

By the start of the ACC Tournament, UNC coach Anson Dorrance generally decides which of his two goalkeepers has displayed some quality that requires he bench the other.

This season, however, Dorrance has continued to alternate goalkeepers Anna Rodenbough and Ashlyn Harris at halftime of every game of the tournaments.

He has not second-guessed the choice as the No. 4-ranked Tar Heels face No. 2-ranked UCLA in the semifinals of NCAA Women's College Cup tonight at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.

"We consider both of them hot," said Dorrance, whose team is pursuing its 19th national championship.

Notre Dame and Stanford will play in the other semifinal today.

Heading into tonight's match, the Heels have shut out 16 opponents this season and have allowed just one goal -- against Texas A&M in the quarterfinals -- in the past 773 minutes and 15 seconds.

Rodenbough, a senior, and Harris, a junior, make up the final wall of protection for the UNC defensive line of juniors Whitney Engen and Kristi Eveland and sophomore Rachel Givan.

Over the past 10 games, they have started on the back line together and played 941 successive minutes, working with the goalkeepers to squelch runs and root out trouble.

It's been the job of Rodenbough and Harris to keep that defensive group tight. Despite distinctly different styles, they have overcome the distraction of alternating places at the half of each game.

"Both of us want this team to do so well that it's not really an issue who's starting or who's playing second half," Rodenbough said.

Added Harris, "We've taken care of business."

In UNC's system, the goalkeeper must.

The Heels utilize a non-traditional defensive scheme with a three-back defensive line instead of four. This allows more forwards to attack on offense but puts defenders at high-risk to be counter-attacked.

This forces the goalkeeper to play higher off their line, acting as a "sweeper keeper," clearing balls in the backfield.

The goalie organizes the back line against over-the-top and left or right flank attacks.

"So what a goalkeeper has to do ... keep her eyes on the ball but then make sure the opposite side is protected with the players in correct position," Dorrance said.

Dorrance has always liked to play many players and decided early in his career that goalkeeping would be no exception. Few other college teams regularly play more than one goalie.

Historically, having two strong keepers has made this task easier.

Rodenbough, a biomedical engineering major from Greensboro, has a 13-1-1 record this season. She's made 30 saves on 85 shots faced. Dorrance said she is a competitive, physical keeper with superb hands.

At 5 feet 10, her size makes her intimidating on 50-50 tackles and she's known for batting balls away in the air.

"Nobody beats her in the air," Harris said of her teammate.

Harris, a communications studies major from Satellite Beach, Fla., has a 10-0-1 record. She's made 25 saves on 83 shots faced. A gifted athlete, the 5-9 Harris finally had a chance this season to showcase her skills after three knee surgeries kept her off the field.

She uses her foot speed to clear balls. She's also known for organizing the defensive line in what is a commanding, can't-miss shrill.

"You can hear her from anywhere on the field," Egen said.

Both goalkeepers have played in 25 games this season.

"If either one of them went to any other program, they would be seeing full time on the field," Egen said. "Yet here they are supporting each other, pushing each other every day in practice. There's no animosity. There's no ill-will."

Egen said the keepers have handled the situation with respect.

"Whoever is out there, you obviously have to root for the other one because you want the team to do well," Rodenbough said. "Our team is so close and everyone is working hard for each other. Mine and Ashlyn's relationship just goes along with that."

Sharing the position, though, requires a specific protocol. They must engage in each game and communicate. The information they share at halftime is often critical for second-half adjustments.

For instance, if the backs are not playing high enough, the new goalkeeper can remedy that at kickoff.

"It's a tough situation," Harris said. "Mentally you have to stay in the game. You only have 15 minutes to get your momentum going and get warmed up and head out on the field and be in rhythm with the team."

They said the field perspective is always welcomed because the game is viewed so differently from the bench.

"I tell her what I see," Harris said. "If players are raining balls in and there's not enough pressure up top. I talk to her about players looking to shoot every time they get the ball at their feet."

Both players said sharing time makes them feel "played-in," meaning if one were to suffer an injury they could take over without missing a beat.

"We haven't even considered going to one goalkeeper," UNC goalkeeper coach Chris Ducar said. "That's how good they are."