After helping NIU men’s soccer climb into a three-way tie atop the Missouri Valley Conference with standout efforts against two tough opponents, redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Caleb Pearson has been named the Northern Star’s Huskie of the Week.
Before last week, Pearson had only appeared in one match all season, starting in a 2-1 victory against Bradley University on Oct. 4. He was suddenly called into action Tuesday against Notre Dame after starting junior goalkeeper Atahan Arslan was sent off with a red card in the 57th minute.
With the score tied at 1-1 and the Huskies down a man, Pearson proceeded to shut out the Fighting Irish for the final 33 minutes and 45 seconds. He recorded two saves during that span, helping secure a 2-1 upset — NIU’s first win over Notre Dame since 1994.
Arslan’s red card kept him sidelined for the following game, giving Pearson his second start of the season in Saturday’s 2-1 victory at the University of Illinois Chicago. The native Texan allowed one goal and notched a career-high seven saves, tying NIU’s season-high set in the opener at Milwaukee.
This is Pearson’s first Huskie of the Week honor and the fourth awarded to a men’s soccer player this season. Freshman forward Tobias Crear first received the honor on Sept. 22, followed by sophomore midfielder Martin Montoya on Oct. 6 and freshman forward Niko Angulo on Oct. 20.
The next Huskie of the Week will be announced Nov. 3.
The Northern Star sports section’s Huskie of the Week is voted for on a weekly basis. Student-athletes considered for this week’s edition were selected based on their performance in competitions taking place from Oct. 20 to Oct. 26.
