(Note: What’s below comes out of Virginia’s game Friday against Penn State. From the play-by-play of Sunday’s game against Connecticut, it appears Stith came out in the 95th minute and didn’t return, either during the remainder of the first overtime period or for the start of the second overtime period. Hopefully that isn’t indicative of an injury of any significant nature. I’ll update as information becomes available.)
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Morgan Stith’s greatest moments come just before the highlights that never happen. And she’s becoming one heck of a killjoy.
Early in Friday’s game between No. 12 Penn State and No. 15 Virginia, Nittany Lions freshman Hayley Brock, ball in tow, raced past a Virginia defender and into open space near the end line. With most of the Cavaliers still trailing the sudden foray, Brock delivered a pass to teammate Danielle Toney on the edge of the 6-yard box.
At which point nothing much happened.
But nothing much happened in large part because of Stith. The sophomore defender not only kept pace with Toney, one of the nation’s fastest players, as she made her run into the box, but then stood her up, sans support, with Toney’s back to goal. By the time Toney moved away from goal and found any room, Stith’s compatriots had regrouped and blocked the ensuing shot.
It might have been almost as important a moment in the eventual 1-1 draw as Virginia’s Lauren Alwine scoring the tying goal with just over three minutes to play or Cavaliers keeper Chantel Jones saving a penalty kick, but it earned barely even a disappointed collective sigh from the large crowd at Penn State’s Jeffrey Field.
Savoring just that reaction requires a rather particular personality.
“At the times when you really need defense, those are what I live for,” Stith said. “I really, really like that a lot.”
Toney and a lighting-fast collection of freshmen put on an impressive display of speed for Penn State throughout much of Friday’s match, but Stith and Virginia’s back line similarly blunted the speed for much of the night. It was a poised, athletic effort from a group that had traveled to Penn State a year earlier in quite different shape.
Entering the game against Penn State last August, Stith, Maggie Kistner, Emily Carrollo (who came on as a substitute that night) and Kika Toulouse had a collective seven career starts — all from Kistner in 2008. As the quartet lined up as the starting back line against Penn State this year, the collective starts totaled 78.
A year ago, it was a completely remade back line living in the shadow of the groups that immediately preceded it, including the 2007 back line that featured current WPS players like Becky Sauberbrun and Nikki Krzysik and allowed just 10 goals in 23 games. Now it’s a group with its own identity. The Cavaliers actually allowed fewer goals last season (18 in 22 games) than they did in 2008 (24 in 23 games), and after Sunday’s 1-0 overtime win against Connecticut, they’re at one goal allowed through almost 400 minutes this season.
It’s a group effort, but in maturing from rookie to emerging cornerstone, Stith is literally in the middle of it all.
“This time last year, I think that her inexperience showed,” Virginia coach Steve Swanson said. “We had a whole new back line last year, so I think it was tough for her. But instinctually and quickness-wise, athleticism-wise, she’s as good a back as I’ve had.
“I think she’s got tremendous instincts — sometimes I want her to use those a little bit more. But I think when she gets kind of a maturity about her — and if you watched her last year, you could see what’s happening — I think she’s going to be one of the best. I think she’s got all of the tools; she’s got great feet, she’s tough and she’s calm, she’s composed.”
She needed all of those traits against Brock, Toney, Maya Hayes, Taylor Schram, Christine Nairn and the rest of the Nittany Lions, just as she needed Kistner (who missed the season’s opening weekend), Toulouse and Carrollo. All four had moments of success in one-on-one defending, but more impressive was how they played together, holding their line and covering against the kind of speed they will see most weeks in the ACC this fall.
“Our back line played together a lot in the spring, so I feel like we’re so much farther along this season,” Stith said. “Me and Maggie, I feel like are really in tune with each other, as well as Emily on the outside and Kika on the other side. I feel like we’re all breathing as one, with Chantel telling us what to do.”
Virginia is an intriguing team this season. With five goals in four games, Meghan Lenczyk is off to a flying start for a program that hasn’t had many prolific goal-scoring seasons since Lindsay Gusixk scored 16 in 2004. But in a league with the offensive talent of North Carolina, Florida State and Boston College, Virginia isn’t going to outscore its way to a title. It’s going to need to be better than most on the defensive end. With Jones, it has a difference-maker in goal. And with Stith, it may have the cornerstone of a back line that’s ready to give it a go.
“I’m a big fan of Morgan Stith,” Swanson said. “I think she could play at the next level if she keeps improving, keeps working at her game.”
And keeps not showing up in highlights.
Graham Hays 