Poster impressive between the iron

If sports teams were graded, the women's soccer team would be earning a midterm grade of A+.

With their 10-0-0 record (3-0-0 Ivy), the No. 18 Tigers are one of just two Div. I teams in the nation that remain unbeaten and untied (Texas-El Paso is the other).

The Tigers have just about everything a team could ask for: a stalwart defensive line, an exciting offensive attack, and seemingly endless depth — so much that almost every player on the roster, other than goalies, has played in nine or ten games.

And the team now has the heady momentum of a ten-game win-streak.

The one possible weakness at the start of the season was the hole left by the graduation of All-Ivy goalkeeper Catherine Glenn '02.

Junior Jean Poster, who had played only 104 career minutes prior to this season, has moved into the starting position this fall, and the team also has three freshman goalies in the wings. So far, Poster has started every game and played all but 33 minutes of the season, giving up time to freshman Madeleine Jackson against Lehigh).

"For the time being, [Poster] has the most experience and has been the most consistent," head coach Julie Shackford said. "We would not hesitate to use our other keepers when the situation calls for it, but right now Jean is handling things very well."

Coming into the starting position, Poster was understandably nervous.

"Catherine left some pretty big shoes to fill last year," Poster said. "She did such a great job, and obviously in the beginning of the season I had anxiety because I knew that our defense was probably one of our strongest strengths of the team last year, and I didn't want my inexperience to be at the expense of the team."

Poster has, however, been able to use Glenn's experience as a direct model for approaching her situation.

"I saw Catherine kind of go through the same thing last year, where she hadn't played her first three years, and whether or not she was nervous, she just looked so confident out there that it was replicated in her playing," Poster said.

Poster has not shown the fireworks that are characteristic of the rest of the team. But so far, she has consistently gotten her job done, and has communicated well with the rest of the defense. Poster's statistics are more than respectable — has six shutouts and has not allowed more than one goal in a game. With 25 total saves on 29 shots, she sports an impressive .862 save percentage. Poster leads the Ivy League with her miniscule GAA's all season (currently 0.41).

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

But these statistics are due to Princeton's almost impermeable defense as much as to Poster's activity.

The Tiger back line simply allows its opponents to take very few shots. As of Tuesday, the Tigers' opponents, together, had only taken 69 total shots, for an average of 6.9 shots per game — in contrast, the Tigers have taken 151 total shots, or 15.1 per game.

"I haven't really had to do much this season because our defense is so good," Poster said. "Our defense is that good that any opportunities that are given up aren't that good, because they do such a good job shutting down their offense.

"It's a goalkeeper's dream to have those four in front of me. They really make my job very easy. I think those four can play with any team in the country."

Poster has demonstrated in at least one game that she can step up when needed. She made two crucial saves in the Boston College game, without which the team's undefeated streak might have suffered quite a dent.

"It was Jean who kept us in the Boston College game, saving a sure goal at the far post late in the second half, and thwarting a penalty kick with two minutes to go — heroics for sure," Shackford said.

But aside from that game, Poster has not really been put on the spot much yet this season. The team will likely need her to step up again at some point, and the stakes will only get higher as the team continues to rack up wins towards a perfect campaign. Looking even further ahead, the Tigers will come up against more rigorous competition in the postseason than they have yet had to play, teams more capable of penetrating the Princeton defense. No matter how good a team's back line, there is always the chance that the opposing team will be able to get off a shot, and at that point the insurance that a confident and consistent goalie provides can make all the difference.

For now, though, Poster is focusing on consistently making the saves she knows she can make.

"Soccer is a game of goals; goals are going to be scored," she said. "If it's a good goal and there's nothing I could do about it, I shouldn"t worry about making big saves so much, but just the saves that I should make. And that's become more and more easy as the season has gone on, knowing that I can make those saves and that it's just a game I've played throughout my childhood."

Many of Princeton's opponents this season have kept the score lower than it might have been with good performances in goal. In contrast, with an airtight defense and a stellar offense, the Tigers don't require a lot of their goalkeeper, but they do need a reliable, consistent performer in the net who can be a hero when needed. As she continues to gain confidence and experience, Poster ought to be able to fit this bill; the freshmen goalies will also continue to improve and could contribute if needed further in the season.

As for now, Poster feels the pressure that is incumbent upon the goalie of such a wildly successful team, but is excited about the team's prospects.

"I know the team is playing so well, I don't want to be the one that makes the difference," she said. "The rest of the games on our schedule are beatable. We're on a high note, but it's also a lot of pressure. People are out to get us. We just have to be ready for that."