Haddonfield freshman goalie Sehdev playing like a veteran

Taylor Sehdev paced back and forth in net before the game, and her mind was clear.

The freshman didn't pay attention to the chill in the night air or the fact that she was playing under the lights for the first time. She barely noticed that the bleachers and perimeter of the field were filled with fans.

Never mind that she was about to take on West Deptford, her team's biggest rival.

The freshman goalkeeper for the Haddonfield girls' soccer team was so nervous, she said, that it actually helped her stay focused on the task at hand.

"I couldn't even tell you what I was thinking about," Sehdev said. "I was just taking it ball by ball."

Under coach Glenn Gess, the Bulldogs (2-0) have developed a reputation for having a stifling defense. And Monday night's 1-0 win over West Deptford proved that this year should be no different.

Gretchen Kiep, Bridget Yako, Mary Claire, and Olivia Blaber lead a defense that prides itself on not allowing shots - even as they often allow lengthy, pressure-packed possessions. "Bend but don't break" is Haddonfield's motto.

It's a nice formula for a team working in a freshman goalie.

Not that Gess is worried about Sehdev. And the freshman rewarded her coach's confidence with a solid performance in the shutout of West Deptford.

"I'm telling you," Gess said, "if you talked to me in June, I was scared to death about who we were going to put in goal. But Taylor has worked so hard. I'm so proud of her. She's been fantastic."

Sehdev noted that the experienced players in front of her have helped with the transition to high school soccer.

Blaber said communication on defense has enabled the Bulldogs to come together seamlessly.

"I'm just so proud of our team," Blaber said. "You can't tell who is a freshman, who is a sophomore, who is a senior out there. We all just work so hard together."

Last season, Blaber was one of the top sweepers in South Jersey. This year, the athletic and versatile senior is being used more as a midfielder, where she can help Haddonfield on both ends of the field.

"She's unbelievable," Gess said. "She's an emotional player, a player that you want to take into war with you."

Haddonfield finished 25-2 en route to the South Jersey Group 2 title in 2011. Only Lenape, in the Coaches Tournament finals, and Robbinsville, in the state Group 2 semifinals, scored more than one goal against the Bulldogs.

That trend is continuing in 2012, freshman keeper and all.

"We play with heart out there," Blaber said. "We just try to get numbers behind the ball - we challenge every ball. If one person gets beat, we always have another person there. We're confident in Taylor, but we try to make sure we're protecting her out there.

"It's team defense."

Great expectations. Delran boys' coach Mike Otto was screaming, kicking dirt, throwing his hands up in frustration, upset with what he was seeing from his team - which, by the way, was leading by three goals late in the second half against Northern Burlington.

Such are the expectations from Otto. The program he runs has been one of the area's most decorated this century. And after a somewhat down season, the Bears (3-0) seem poised, at least, to make a run at the Burlington County League Liberty Division title.

"Our expectations, really, are the same every year," Otto said. "I think we definitely have a shot at having a special year. We have a lot of depth, and certainly have a lot of talent. I'm just always trying to push the team to play better soccer."

The Bears return nine starters from a team that finished 10-7-5 in 2011. If they hope to top last season's results, a win Thursday night would certainly help. That's when Delran will visit fellow division favorite Moorestown.

"We just need to go in strong and play our game," senior defender Robert Hepworth said.

Hepworth leads a solid Bears defense, which includes one of the area's top goalkeepers, Nick Stone. The defense will be especially critical as Delran works to develop a consistent attack, an aspect of the team's game that was missing for much of last season.

"Our defense looks strong right now," Stone said. "We're confident and we have great communication, which makes things easier."