En route to Penn State women’s soccer’s lone national title three years ago, nothing shined quite like the team’s impenetrable force that was its defense.

Starting with the Big Ten Tournament semifinals and running all the way through that 1-0 College Cup final victory over Duke, a total of eight straight games, the Nittany Lions didn’t concede a goal.

Should Penn State make it through this weekend’s matchups to the Elite Eight, it’ll likely come thanks to its defense serving as that backbone once again.

“I think the team defending has been a strength for us all season long,” Penn State head coach Erica Dambach said. “Overall, I think we’re going to have to ride the strength of our defending in order to continue to be successful.”

Three back line players from that 2015 team who received quality minutes during the tournament run — outside backs Maddie Nolf and Ellie Jean, as well as center back Kaleigh Riehl — are still donning blue and white.

This year, they’re conceding approximately one goal every two games — good for the 12th-best goals against average in the country. The goal Penn State gave up in the opening round against Bowling Green was just the second goal it’s conceded in the last eight games. Despite Minnesota taking the Big Ten Tournament final on penalty kicks, Penn State’s defensive run of form has coincided with its 11-game unbeaten streak.

Penn State’s regional foes this weekend are just like the Nittany Lions in that respect. Two teams are ranked ahead of Penn State in goals against average — second-seeded West Virginia is sixth in the country and third-seeded South Carolina is 11th.

The Nittany Lions will face the Gamecocks in the second round Friday at 3 p.m. in Morgantown, West Virginia. That team will have a familiar face staring down Penn State attackers.

Grace Fisk, two-time SEC Defender of the Year and a first team All-American last year, began her collegiate career with Penn State in 2016. Then a freshman, she filled in for Riehl while the Penn State center back redshirted to compete for the United States in the U-20 World Cup.

The English international has since become one of the nation’s most touted defenders.

“The Grace we saw out on Jeffrey Field is someone who’s consistent, somebody you can count on. I think she’s as good as anybody in the country as a center back,” Dambach said. “I think we’re all looking forward to seeing her and seeing how she’s developed.”

Fisk started 18 of 21 games during her time in Happy Valley, helping the Nittany Lions to nine shutouts. 

“I mean, there will be some extra emotions,” Fisk said. “I have some really good friends on that team. Obviously, it will be nice to see them, but at the end of the day, it’s another game and another one that we want to win.”

“When the draw came out I was texting a couple of them, saying ‘Oh, could it be?’ I’m looking forward to seeing them, but we’re both there to win ultimately.”

Fisk and her South Carolina teammates might have the most recent College Cup experience — making it to the NCAA Tournament semifinals last year — but all three regional favorites have that veteran leadership to count on.

West Virginia has captain Bianca St. Georges, among others, from its 2016 College Cup final run. Penn State still features those three aforementioned defenders, as well as four players from the national title team.

To survive through the battle with South Carolina and be able to get passed either the Mountaineers or Wake Forest in the Sweet 16, Penn State will need those veterans to set the tone and keep opponents off the board as the team has in 12 of 22 games this season.

“You want to approach it as if it’s just another game, but it’s an NCAA Tournament game,” Dambach said. “I think that’s where you really have to rely on your upperclassmen to set the stage on this is how things are done, this is how professional, and this is how prepared we are.”