Longwood Girls Soccer Building a Defensive Wall

The Longwood girls soccer team is making an early-season claim as one of the best defensive teams in the county, and it is getting harder to argue with the results.

Longwood has opened the season with a 4-1-1 record, which would be impressive on its own. But what really stands out is how the Lions have been winning. All four of their victories have come by way of a shutout, meaning Longwood has already posted four shutouts in its first six games.

For most teams, recording four shutouts in an entire season would be an accomplishment. Longwood has managed to do it before even reaching the midway point of September.

The Lions opened the season by allowing two goals in their first game, but the defense has been nearly impossible to crack since. Over the past five games combined, Longwood has surrendered just two goals.

That kind of consistency takes more than one player. The Lions have displayed a team-wide defensive mindset, with players working together to limit scoring opportunities and make life difficult for opposing offenses.

Behind that defense, goalkeeper Liana Collazo has also been a major part of Longwood's strong start. Collazo has already recorded 38 saves this season, giving the Lions another dependable last line of defense when opponents do manage to get through.

The combination has made Longwood one of the toughest teams to score against early in the season.

There is still plenty of soccer left to be played, and the Lions will face tougher tests as the season moves along. But if the first six games are any indication, opposing teams are going to have to work awfully hard to find the back of the net against Longwood.

For now, the numbers tell the story: four wins, four shutouts and only four goals allowed all season. That's a pretty strong foundation for a team with its sights set on making noise when the games matter most.