Men’s soccer head coach Willy Roy is faced with an uncommon problem that most coaches would love to be faced with.

He has two talented freshmen goal keeper’s who should both be starters, but one’s playing time in a game forces the other to become a back up.

This wouldn’t be much of a problem if the coach had two players battling for a position in the field.

But the nature of the goalie defender relationship requires that the goalie and the defenders be able to know how one another will react to different situations.

If different keepers are constantly put in and taken out, this relationship will not be allowed to fully develop and may even suffer.

The talented keepers battling for the starting job are Brian Hecht and Brad Nordeng.

Nordneg won the starting job in training camp when both Hecht and the Huskies third freshman keeper Patrick Sullivan went down with injuries.

Noreng did a great job in his first seven starts as a collegiate.

Only giving up ten goals while facing three nationally ranked teams and playing behind a Huskie defense that was having many problems to say the least.

Hecht didn’t see his first action of the season until Sept 26, at the Eastern Illinois Panther Classic.

He faced the University of Missouri-K.C. in the game that would clinch the championship for the Huskies and made four saves leading the Huskies to a 4-1 victory and the tournament title.

Nordeng platooned for the next five games allowing only five goals while recording three shut outs.

Hecht has got the nod in the Huskies last two matches recording five saves along with two shutouts.

For Hecht’s work this past weekend he earned the honor of Mid-Continent Conference soccer player of the week.

“(Hecht) had a couple of really big saves against EIU. As close as that contest was, each of those that much more significant. Against WIU, he may not have had to make as many plays, but because we struggled in the first half, he deserves more credit for really helping us pull off that win,” said assistant coach Karsten Roy. “Brian’s been working hard in practice and it’s paid dividends in the last two matches. It’s good to see him get this additional recognition from the conference.”

Although Nordeng hasn’t garnered any accolades for his work in the net his outstanding play has earned him a fourth place ranking among the goalkeepers in the Midwest region.

With two solid performers like this who do you play?

“They essentially are the same skill-wise, Hecht is a little more vocal but what it really boils down to is who works the hardest in practice,” Willy Roy said, “whoever wants it the most will get the start”.

“(Hecht) had a couple of really big saves against EIU. As close as that contest was, each of those that much more significant. Against WIU, he may not have had to make as many plays, but because we struggled in the first half, he deserves more credit for the really helping us pull off that win.”

Karen Roy

assistant coach