By Steve Carpenter
Hutchinson CC Sports Information Director
Since its inaugural season of 2005, the Hutchinson Community College women's soccer team has the reputation for being an extremely stingy team when it comes to defense.
The numbers back up that claim:
+ Of Hutchinson's 247 all-time victories, 166 have been by shutout (67.2 percent).
+ Of those 247 wins, 210 have been by shutout or only one goal allowed (93.1 percent).
+ Of the 323 all-time games played, only 32 times have the Blue Dragons allowed three or more goals in a single game (9.9 percent).
Upon learning about the Blue Dragons' historical defensive legacy, sophomore middle back Kendra Brungardt was ready to make sure the 2023 Blue Dragon back line lives up to that reputation.
Brungardt, a 5-foot-8 defender from Goddard Eisenhower, will be the anchor of the Blue Dragon back line in 2023. She is the only returning Blue Dragon with experience, playing left outside back as a freshman.
"It's been a while we've been this inexperienced back there with a freshman goalkeeper and only one returner back," head coach Sammy Lane said. "There's going to be a lot on Kendra this year. She's going to have to captain that back four. She's going to have to organize it. She's good enough to do that."
Brungardt had a solid season in 2022 in helping the Blue Dragons to a 14-4 record with six shutouts and five other one-goal-only games.
"I just gained confidence," said Brungardt, who scored one goal in her freshman season. "Early last year I didn't want to make a mistake and I just got rid of the ball. I learned that it's OK to make a mistake if you fight hard to get it back and keep pushing.
"I just play defense. If a player gets by me, I never give up trying to get the ball back."
From Day 1 of this season, Brungardt knew she was moving back to the middle. Last year she learned from Jayhawk West Defensive Player of the Year Lexi Jack and three-year starter and all-conference performer Zara Lawless.
Now she will be the one coordinating the back line full of freshmen and sophomore Lorena Gomes, who made a position change from the midfield last season, in front of freshman goalkeeper Karsyn Slothower.
"I feel like we are getting our defense together," Brungardt said. "It's about trusting. You've got them in the right place, but you have to let them take it and just let them do their thing. If they make a mistake, just try and correct it.
"I'm telling them to work as hard as they can. Keep your body healthy. Just play how they normally play and don't try to do too much. They were recruited for a reason. Go out and do it."
Another part of that defensive history of the Blue Dragons have been lock-down defenders like Finola Corley, Logan Shupe, Bekah Ramstack and Jack and Lawless.
While Brungardt's skill set doesn't exactly match the aforementioned Blue Dragon defenders, the 19th-year Blue Dragon head coach said Brungardt is more than capable of being the captain of the defensive line in 2023.
"We want her to fill the Zara role," Lane said. "Zara had to play the ball out of the back and had to show composure. Kendra will have to be our distributor out of the back.
"Kendra has all the tools to do that."