Strong goalkeeping and strategic defense summarized the play when the Dolphins clashed with the Monkeys in 13U soccer Saturday at Youth Sports Inc. Both teams used a swarming defense as the two teams ended the match fittingly locked 1-1.

“The whole game was back and forth, both teams did a nice job of controlling the ball and limiting mistakes,” said Dolphin interim head coach Joel Schwartz.

Fortunately, both teams caught a few lucky bounces and were led by the strong play between the pipes by their goalkeepers.

The Dolphins opened the game with Connor Dyer in goal. Early on, Dyer put together a stretch of solid play as the Monkeys attempted to set the tone offensively. Looking at a breakaway, Dyer came up strong charging the ball and smothering it before Monkey forward Samantha O’Brien was able to get her foot on it.

The goal post also assisted Dyer as the Monkeys deflected their shots off both posts on consecutive shots.

Fortunately for Dyer, her defense stood strong during the early Monkey surge. Sophie Laufer and Ashton Augustine of the Dolphins roamed the defense, harassing the Monkey attack. Laufer and Augustine swung the momentum in the Dolphins’ direction by stripping the ball. The Dolphins were able to strike first after a beautiful throw-in left Bell Schwartz one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Schwartz was able to get just under the ball to calmly float it over a charging Monkey keeper.

“I didn’t really plan on doing that, but it worked,” forward Schwartz said.

Despite facing the daunting task of beating the Dolphin defense, the pesky Monkey attack cashed in off of a Dolphin miscommunication.

The Dolphin keeper and defense accidentally tripped one another up, leaving the ball alone in front of an empty net. O’Brien leapt over the intertwined Dolphins and buried the open shot for the Monkeys, tying the game at 1-1.

Dolphin Chelsea Foster plans her next move against the Monkeys on Saturday at Youth Sports Inc. The two teams ened the game in a 1-1 tie.

The Monkeys stood strong as second-half goalie Megan Engleman turned away an onslaught of Dolphin shots. Engleman remained unafraid to get her nose in the action, diving in a cluster of flailing Dolphin feet.

Fortunately, Engleman was able to count on a strong defense to cut down on Dolphin scoring chances. Meridith Baker and Lauren Wethington helped to slow the Dolphin attack. Looking to be the hero, Wethington nearly connected for a goal, firing twice from 18 feet out.

As both offenses remained baffled by the amazing play of the goalkeepers, it seemed fitting that the game would end in a 1-1 defensive showcase.