GREENWOOD – Lander goalkeeper Garrett Daum has recorded
five consecutive shutouts, hasn’t allowed a goal in the last
533 minutes of play, and has been scored upon just once all
season.
But Daum is quick to point out that the team deserves the credit
for the amazing stretch of scoreless soccer.
"We are taking pride in what we do back here on defense," Daum said
Thursday during practice. "It starts with our two center backs Ryan
Thorman and Jamie Ramm, and defenders Martyn Bell and Tyler Davis.
That’s one thing we base our defense on is keeping a clean
sheet (a shutout) because we have the talent up top to get our goal
or two that we need (to win games)."
The only goal allowed by Daum came in the season opener on Aug. 28
when Chad Pinnock of Queens scored on a header in the 27th minute
of the match in Charlotte. Daum shut the Royals out the rest of the
way as the teams played to a 1-all tie through two overtimes and
has since blanked Erskine, Belmont Abbey, Coker, Anderson and USC
Aiken in succession.
"That first game (at Queens) was hard, playing on the turf. We
weren’t used to it. But that’s behind us. We have moved
on and we’re doing pretty well," Daum said.
"Pretty well" is an understatement. Since Pinnock’s goal, the
No. 7 Bearcats have scored 20 goals to none for their opponents.
Lander is 5-0-1 entering Saturday’s Peach Belt Conference
game at North Georgia College & State University, having
outscored their opponents 21-1 on the season.
Daum has been credited with 29 saves this season and has earned two
consecutive PBC Defensive Player of the Week awards, the first
back-to-back defensive weekly award winner in league history.
"It’s an honor," Daum said. "But it’s these guys back
here who are busting their tails, winning headers, making 50-50
tackles. I do my part when I have to."
While the saves have piled up, Daum is also responsible for
breaking up crosses and an assortment of other dangerous passes,
and corner kicks where goals are only a flick of the foot or head
away for a charging opponent. The senior from the Dallas suburb of
Bartonville, Tex., also stopped two penalty kicks Sept. 8 against
Coker.
"It’s kind of a guessing game," Daum said of penalty kicks.
"There’s not a strategy really. I try to freeze them by
taking my time getting ready. But it’s a guessing game
really."
But Daum knows the success wouldn’t come without a stout
defense.
"The defenders do all the hard work," he said. "I just have to stay
focused and mentally in it the whole 90 minutes. We are well
organized back there. We all know each other and what we are
capable of doing. We rely on each other."
Ramm said the defenders are just doing their jobs.
"That’s what defenders are about," Ramm said. "We are not
about scoring goals. We are about keeping clean sheets and letting
our attackers do their jobs (of scoring goals). It’s a great
start. We would like to keep it going. But obviously we are going
to concede a goal some time. That time is coming."
With opponents like Clayton State, Lees-McRae, Limestone and UNC
Pembroke ahead on the schedule, the opponents will score goals. But
Lander head coach Van Taylor, a former professional goalkeeper,
likes how Daum and the defense are playing.
"The two go hand-in-hand," Taylor said of the goalkeeper and
defenders. "The players in front of him are working very hard and
doing everything they can to keep the ball out of the net, knowing
that Garrett is there behind them. But it is a team effort. The
defense takes a lot of pride in getting a clean sheet, not giving
up goals. Defensively, they are very solid right now."
Daum was the goalkeeper at Denton High School for four years. He
became a goalkeeper almost by accident.
"I started when I was around 13," he said. "I was playing in the
field. We had a game where a goalie didn’t show up. I stepped
in and played real well. I’ve been there ever since. That was
a club team, the Hawks, out of the Dallas area."
When Daum arrived in Greenwood, Matt Shirley and Ryan Peck were
Lander’s goalkeepers. It was Shirley’s senior year, and
Daum and Peck battled for playing time the next season. Daum
appeared in seven games in 2004, started 11 of 16 matches in 2005
when the Bearcats made the national Elite Eight, and all of 2006
when he made the All Peach Belt and All PBC Tournament teams.
"He’s made an unbelievable progression and development from
his first year to where he is now," Taylor said of Daum. "He has
always had the ability and is technically very sound. He’s
got more confidence now and has more experience. He has played in a
lot of big games. Now, he is very comfortable in goal and the team
is very settled with him in goal. The team has confidence that he
is going to do the job. Every year, he has gotten better."
Daum is majoring in marketing management. He plans to go back home
to Dallas in December to work for his dad Scott Daum’s
commercial plumbing company. Daum has some interest in coaching,
having helped the goalkeepers in the Greenwood Toros soccer program
as well as the Greenwood High School team.
"It’s been fun playing here. It’s been a blast. I am
going to miss it," Daum said.
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