AUBURN – Chelsea Fournier knows a thing or two about playing in goal.

A senior sweeper for the St. Dom’s field hockey team, Fournier spent the better part of last season in net for the Saints’ junior varsity team, and in spot duty with the varsity club behind freshman keeper Austyn Carolin.

But when the team needed a defensive-minded player to fill a hole at sweeper this season, and with Carolin coming into her own as a sophomore in net, Fournier was an easy choice.

“She knows the goalie aspect of the game,” said St. Dom’s coach Brian Kay. “A lot of times, if Austyn comes out, she’ll step in, just on that line to make that extra save. Having been a goaltender herself, she understands the position.”

Fournier, fellow senior Chelsea St. Onge-May, juniors Annie Butts and Katie Landry and Carolin bonded together early for the Saints, and are a big reason the team has remained undefeated this season. As a unit, the St. Dom’s defense has allowed just four goals in 16 games this season, and has recorded 13 shutout wins.

“We act as a unit,” said St. Onge-May, one of the team’s captains. “There’s a lot of communication out there, and that’s a big deal. The key to playing good defense is working on your recovery.”

Normally a defensive-minded midfielder, Landry may have been the biggest beneficiary of the team’s solid defense. Even though she still anchored the coverage on her own side of midfield, Landry was given a bit more freedom to roam in the offensive end.

“I haven’t had to play as much defense this year, but that’s because our fullbacks have been amazing,” said Landry.

Mary Lewis, who led the team this season with 14 goals and 10 assists, was the primary beneficiary of Landry’s 16 assists this season.

“With our defense behind us, it gets us all pumped up,” said Lewis. “We know that they’re doing their job, which gives us confidence to do ours.”

Of course, having little to no action for long stretches during a game can be frustrating and difficult for goaltenders who enjoy being active. But for Carolin, having confidence in her back line and seeing fewer and fewer shots has been just fine.

“Everything is because of them,” said Carolin. “They’ve been rock solid. Without them, we wouldn’t have such a great record. We work well together.”

And when Carolin does need a bit of help, Fournier is usually there to back up her former fellow netminder. On more than one occasion this season, Fournier has crept in behind Carolin to stop a shot that has eluded her goalie.

“It’s like we have one mind,” said Fournier. “I know what she’s going through as a goalie.”

“There’s so much non-verbal communication between us out there because we both know how the other is thinking,” said Carolin. “She knows where to go and it really works.”

The Saints will face one more test this season, and put their defense – and their perfect record – on the line when they battle Central in the Class C state title game at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland on Saturday afternoon.

“We have one more to go,” said Kay. “The defense is going to be ready, the offense is going to be ready. Hopefully we can put everything together one more time.”