​Leadership. Accountability.  Outstanding play. You need look no further than RCGC standout women's soccer goalkeeper Jenni DeVault to find a solid team leader.

Add in a little "tough love" from head coach Megan Ruttler and quite a few prayers, and the Roadrunners and DeVault have proven to be an unbeatable combination.

Both Jenni's  perfomance – and the Roadrunners' success -- have risen dramatically the past two seasons.

In the current season, Jenni has recorded an impressive 10 shutouts in leading the Roadrunners to an eye-opening 12-1 overall record, 7-0 conference mark, and the No. 5 position in the NJCAA Division III National Rankings. She has recorded a goals against average of 0.39 per game and she ranks first in the nation in shutouts among NJCAA D III goalkeepers with 10. She also has 47 saves on the season and a .904 saves percentage.

Jenni and her teammates enjoyed solid success in 2016, Jenni's freshman year at RCGC. With DeVault as the goalkeeper, the Roadrunners captured the Region XIX Championship to qualify for the NJCAA National Tournament.

This success centers around a solid relationship that DeVault has developed with Ruttler, an eighth-year skipper, and her RCGC teammates. And the relationship with Ruttler has definitely included some tough love between coach and player.

"Yes, it has been some tough love from coach Megan," said Jenni, a criminal justice major who hopes to attend Rowan University next fall. "She doesn't hesitate to let me know when I need to get on the ball. And it's always welcome. We all know how much coach Megan cares for us and wants us playing at our highest level. And she cares about us doing well in the classroom and with campus life in general."

Jenni, who played four years of soccer at Kingsway, is clearly a coach and mentor on the field for her teammates, who have developed RCGC into one of the nation's top programs.

"My teammates have been amazing this year – I had so much fun with the team last Fall, but we've really meshed together a lot, and that helps on the field – and that's pretty special," said DeVault.  "I'm blessed to have a very talented team playing in front of me – they have made my job a lot easier."

For her part, Ruttler said she has enjoyed watching a young woman under her wing mature over two years and has the ability to take charge on the field in tough game situations.

"Jenni has developed into a true leader since the first day she walked onto our campus as a freshman," Ruttler said. "This season, especially, she holds herself accountable, win or lose, on her performance, and she encourages her teammates to hold to those same standards. No excuses. Just work hard and always looking to improve."

DeVault's "take-charge" attitude, she said, is also helped by her faith in God and prayer. That comes in handy, for example, when she is ready to face a one-on-one shot by a charging opponent in a critical game situation.

"I'm praying yes, the entire game actually - - but when a shot is coming right at me, of course I want to save it – and I'm definitely praying!" DeVault said.

"But it's all relevant. Even if I don't stop my opponent, I know I'm still blessed. Even without the shutouts and all the wins, I know I have my talents to help me through, and I have a talented team in front of me."

Yes, a seemingly unbeatable combination has worked well this Fall for DeVault and her RCGC teammates.

"And we're determined to prove ourselves once the playoffs begin," DeVault said. "We're excited for the opportunity to reach new heights."