ALLENTOWN – Kylie Elefante loves to talk, and the subject the Allentown senior likes to chat about the most is being a goalie. A very talented one at that who is on the verge of establishing a new all-time saves record in Redbird history. The record is 578, which was set in 2013 by Hayley Peterson. Elefante recorded five on Wednesday when Allentown downed Princeton Day, 4-1 in the Colonial Valley Conference Colonial Division game played under an overcast sky on the Redbirds turf. The five stops give Elefante 575 on her career. One person who will be cheering the hardest for her to break the record will be her goalie coach, Hayley Peterson. “It feels good to be getting close to the record,’’ said Elefante. “My goalie coach, Hayley Peterson, has the record I’m approaching. So, that makes it mean so much more. We have a great relationship and she has taught me so many things.’’ Peterson’s sister, Kayla, a former All-America player at The College of New Jersey is now the Allentown coach and she saw Elefante’s ability the minute she arrived on the scene. “She is incredible and this is her fourth year starting,’’ said Kayla. “When she was a freshman you could tell she was going to be something special. She has grown into a leader, a captain and she communicates so well, she is constant chatter. She commands the field.’’ When the Redbirds (9-3, 4-1 Colonial) scored in the first 30 seconds off the stick of Ella Sluder it looked like it was going to be a long day for the Panthers (3-6, 1-4 Colonial), but PDS goalie Molly Hall was unbelievable with 35 saves. Sluder, who has committed to UMass-Lowell, added another goal the Redbirds saw Kelsey Loughlin tally a goal and an assist and Janeen Rukab capped off the scoring with a goal. Samantha Dandy had the lone Princeton Day goal. “Both my goals were really team efforts,’’ said Sluder. “On the first, Hailee (Ladu) had a shot that came off the goalie and I was able to push it in and the second was just a perfect insert from Kelsey (Loughlin) and I was able to finish on it.’’ Elefante knows one of the things that help her finish strong are the players in front of her. “I have a really great defense and that helps because they force the angles,’’ praised Elefante. “It’s a really good reflection of our defense pushing the other team to the outside and that is really helpful.’’ It’s also helpful the Elefante enjoys flopping, stretching and free-falling on the turf. “I love diving around and going all out,’’ stated Elefante. “Goaltending is a position where you can really give 100 percent. You can dive, you can split and you can lunge and you are the last line of defense.’’ Back in those soccer days there was a quote that Elefante always remembered and it helps her handle things in the cage. “It was, “goalkeepers can’t win the game but they can save the game,:” recalled Elefante. “I like the fact you have one goal and that’s to keep the ball out of the cage and you have a lot of people helping you. You can see the whole field and that makes it easier to communicate and learn different things about game tactics.’’ It constant chatter coming from around the cage where Elefante is positioned. “I love communicating on the field and since I can see the whole field it’s easy to give advice to my teammates,’’ said Elefante. Having played in county finals and semifinals and several state tourney games pressure isn’t a word Elefante’s vocabulary. “I’ve been in sports my entire life and I’m used to the pressure and I have confidence in my teammates,’’ she declared. “If I make a mistake and let a goal in we are pretty quick to get another goal. It helps to have confidence in your teammates, I know if I’m in a high pressure situation they can step up.’’ Being a senior and a four-year starter Elefante is hoping this is the year it all comes together for the Redbirds. “This year means a lot because we have been building toward this during my three years,’’ Elefante said. “I know we are going to do it now. We have been working toward the goal of a championship and this is the year.’’ And most likely a school record for saves, too. Princeton Day (3-6, 1-4) 0 0 1 0 – 1 Allentown (9-3, 4-1) 2 0 1 1 – 4 Goals: PDS: S. Dandy. A: Sluder 2, Loughlin, Rukab. Assists: A: Loughlin Shots: PDS: 6, A: 39. Saves: PDS: Hall 35, A: Elefante 5