The aphorism "defense wins championships" is used to define teams that excel in keeping points off of a scoreboard.
DePauw's field hockey team certainly prescribes to the philosophy, but in Saturday's game against Denison University, defense not only kept points off the board, but added them.
Maggie Grady, a freshman defender, scored the match's only goal in the 33rd minute of the game coming up from her defensive position and ripping a shot just inside the right wing of the scoring circle. She and the Tigers defense combined to shut down Denison (12-5, 8-4 NCAC) on the stats sheet as they failed to produce a shot for DePauw's 13th shutout of the season and a 1-0 victory at Blackstock West Field.
It was also the sixth time the Tigers (16-1, 13-0 NCAC) haven't allowed a shot in a game. Opponents have not scored against DePauw in seven-straight games.
The Big Red vs. Tigers regular season battles are almost guaranteed to be close games. The past four regular season matchups were all won or lost by one goal.
While DePauw features more goal-scorers on offense, both teams' defenses are stout.
"They're a really fast team, we're just racing against them, and they're racing against us," Grady said after the game. "They cut to the ball really fast so that's hard to defend. ... We have a great defense, and we all played pretty amazing."
In the first half, the Tigers controlled much of the possession but couldn't find the back of the cage, or even pressure Denison goalkeeper, Brittany Benson.
With time winding down, the Big Red defense halted another DePauw attack, and the ball rolled out near the right sideline. Grady came up from her defensive position in the middle third of the field and corralled the ball to move it back into the circle.
The Denison defenders were slow to react to Grady's movement, and the freshman hit a low shot that eluded every player in the scoring circle. The ball went through the Benson's legs on the right side, and DePauw players swarmed Grady on the goal.
"It went into the corner, and I couldn't believe it went in," she said. "I've never scored in my life, and I've been playing since sixth grade."
The goal was the product of what head coach Gina Wills was preaching to the team for the past two weeks - taking a shot when it's open.
"We would like to see more of our midfielders take the shot from the top of the circle instead of our forwards," Wills said. "If we can mix it up and see different people (taking shots), there can be openings for different players."
In the second half, the Tigers defense was tested with multiple fast breaks by the Big Red, but Grady along with juniors Sydney Sprawls, Chelsea Cutler and Taylor Helms halted drives and quickly passed the ball out of DePauw's defensive third of the field.
"It was really a team effort defensively," Wills said. "They played composed even when the ball got in our end, and they made nice passes out. We would feel pressure, but never for a long time."
Denison attempted fast breaks because that's all the Tigers offense allowed for. While six shots were taken in the first half, 14 more were added in the second as seniors Bridgette Shamleffer and Margaret Ellis harassed Benson and the Big Red defense. Ellis tallied seven shots - four on-goal - while Shmaleffer pitched in with six.
"While the goal came in the first half, we were able to keep pressure on in the second which was really great to see," Wills said. "We would have liked to see another goal, but we maintained possession and got more opportunities."
With the NCAC regular season title already clinched, DePauw has just one game left against Kenyon College (8-8, 7-5 NCAC) next Saturday. Ellis still needs just one goal to tie the school's all-time goal scoring record of 71 held by Colleen Konicek '88.