For two days of practice prior to the team's District 11 first-round game, Salisbury girls soccer goal keepers Jordan Kamp and Shannon Pennella faced hundreds of penalty kicks.

Little did anyone know the type of impact those sessions would have for a defense that has been one of the team's most consistent units all season.

The rest is history. That preparation gave Kamp an edge in the team's penalty kick shootout against Palisades in which she saved all three of the Pirates' shots.

"Yesterday [Tuesday] we did something else with a group, but we're always rotating five players in to take penalty kicks," head coach Rick Babyak said. "Jordan and Shannon were in goal constantly. The entire practice they took penalty kicks.

"What can you say about that? Who stops three PKs? You don't see that at any level."

Kamp has allowed 17 goals in 20 games this season, good enough for a 0.85 goals against average. She has posted nine shutouts, while recording 114 saves on the season.

"My defense has been phenomenal," Kamp said. "We're a family on the field and off the field. They push themselves so much. I push them because I know they can do it, and they push me too."

Along with Kamp, a First-Team Colonial League selection, central defender Kori Hadinger, a Second-Team Colonial League selection, has been an anchor in the Falcons' defense. She has three goals on the season, but more importantly, she has had a strong impact in keeping the opposition off the attack.

Hadinger, who played offense last season, has made the transition to central defender smoothly. She plays defense on her club team, and it's clear under Babyak's flat back four defense what she can bring to the team.

"I play defense for my club team, so it's not a big change," Hadinger said. "But for my high school team it's definitely a big change because I get to play with my really close friends. That was really exciting. I enjoy it, and I think I contribute more to the team being a defender than being on offense."

While the Falcons allowed an early goal against Palisades, they stayed true to their ways and remained solid on defense for the remainder of the game.

"I was very impressed by the way we played after that goal because we didn't stop and we kept moving forward," Hadinger said. "That's what defense has to do. A good defense has to keep moving."

Central defender Tara Jacoby, left defender Amy Zamora and right defender Paige Ackerman are also a few of the main pieces for a defense that has allowed 21 goals in 20 games. That equates to a 1.05 goals against average, much lower than the team's 53 goals allowed and 1.63 goals against average last year.

Defensive center midfielder Christine Kotch has had just as much of an impact in the team's stellar defense this season. For the most part, Kotch is relied upon as one of the team's best one-on-one defenders. She also has five goals and two assists on the season.

"There was that one breakdown, but after that they were strong," Babyak said.

"There were not a lot of dangerous chances for the Palisades side either. Maybe early on a little bit more, but as the game went on, they were really shutting them down."