Jacob Zanolla
Staff Writer
The phrase “defense is the best offense” sounds cliché, but that’s exactly what the FSC Women’s soccer team is proving this season. After finishing with a 5-7-5 record in 2024, the Mocs needed to turn things around and get back on track and they’ve done exactly that.
The 2024 squad allowed 28 goals in their 17 matches, with opponents accruing 62 shots on goal. Those numbers could be worse, but there was clear room for improvement, and head coach Gerry Lucy understood that.
“We try to play a very tenacious type of style,” Lucy said. “We know we’re limiting the opposition to very few opportunities, very few clear opportunities.”
They got to work over the offseason, and the hard work is paying off. As of Nov. 3, FSC’s opponents have taken just 49 shots on goal, a significant decrease from last year. By far the most astounding statistic is that opposing teams have only scored SIX goals against FSC in 15 matches.
Goalkeeper Carly Brodsky played in 11 games during the 2024 season, averaging 1.42 goals allowed per game. She started the first 10 games, but was then moved off the goalie position near the end of the season. This year has been a completely different story, with the redshirt junior making waves across the conference. After an offseason of practice and working with the coaching staff, Brodsky has been a main catalyst in the team’s success.
“We hired a new assistant coach, and she really has changed a lot. She’s also a goalkeeper coach, and her coming in during the spring was very helpful for me, especially working on all aspects of my game,” said Brodsky. “My goalkeeper coach, Ricky, gave me a bunch of things to work on [as well].”
The season’s first match was a 2-2 draw in Pittsburgh, the farthest the team has had to travel all year. Point Park only took five shots, but two of them got past Brodsky to start the campaign on somewhat of a sour note. She learned from her mistakes and hasn’t looked back.
“I think the first game of the season, we traveled to Pittsburgh, so it was out of our comfort zone. When we got there, we had high hopes. We just continued to just try and do as best as we could, but we knew we were a newer team, we were learning new things,” said Brodsky. “You’ve got to get one percent better each day and just continue to build. So the place that we were in during Pittsburgh and that 2-2 tie is not the place that we’re in now.”
Brodsky went on to work five straight shutouts after the opening-match loss, with the team owning a 4-0-2 record through September. Her ten shutouts as of Nov. 3 are a school record, cementing her place in FSC history.
Opposing teams are averaging 0.40 goals per match off of Brodsky this year, which gives the offense a lot of confidence knowing they have such a strong defender behind them. The Florida native has logged more than twice the number of saves she did during the 2024 season.
“I think it breeds confidence throughout the team,” said Lucy. “I think the way that she is, the character she is, the energy that she brings on the practice field and off the field, and obviously during the games, is tremendous.”
That confidence is showing, with the women’s soccer team finishing the regular season with a 8-2-6 record. Brodsky and her teammates will look to carry this momentum into the postseason, with match-ups being announced next week.
