Goalie key to team success

There are a lot of things that run through a goalkeeper's mind when their team is on defense. They have to direct players where to go and set up the defense. They do all this while watching the ball and preparing themselves to make that split-second decision to stop the ball.\nCoach Barry King said he believes his goalkeeper has those qualities, which is why senior Kirsten Mayberry has been so successful in her career. He said he thinks much of it can be attributed to her personality.\n"The goalkeeping position is just a little different, and it takes someone different to play back there," King said. "It's such a vocal position, and you have to be a leader."\nKing compared a goalkeeper to a quarterback in football. Assistant coach Matt Anderson said he sees the position as being similar to a catcher in baseball.\n"Goalies are involved in every play," Anderson said. "They are the last line of defense, and they start the offense."\nSenior Molly Fonner said she believes the team is able to gamble a little more with Mayberry back in goal. This comes from the team's confidence in their goalkeeper.\n"Defensively we can take more risks with her back there," Fonner said. "We know that we can get out of our counter-attacks because we have such confidence."\nIn addition to being very vocal, Mayberry has to be aware of what is going on around her. She has to direct her teammates into defensive sets while concentrating on the other team and being ready to react.\n"I have to know who has the ball and what they could do with it," Mayberry said. "We do drills to improve our reaction time. Some people have. Others don't."\nSenior Night, Mayberry had the chance to score goals rather than have goals scored on her when she came out of her goalkeeper position to play in the field. She was able to score her first two career goals that night.\n"It was fun getting out there and seeing what the rest of the team goes through," Mayberry said. "But it was tiring because I am not a swimmer."\nWhen Mayberry does have goals scored on her, King believes she is able to bounce back quickly. He said that Mayberry is able to separate the game into singular moments, which has helped her mentally.\n"If you make a mistake as a goalie, a goal is scored," King said. "You have to be able to handle the responsibility. You have to disassociate yourself from one play from the next."\nHoosiers said they hoped Mayberry will be able to continue to be solid in the goal as they head into the Eastern Championships this weekend. The team will need a leader. Fonner said she knows that Mayberry can be that leader.\n"She really leads our defense from back there," Fonner said. "To be a good leader, you have to be a good communicator"