The NIU men’s soccer team is on a roll going into the last two games of the regular season.

Following the lead of freshman goalkeeper Steve Goletz, named MAC Player of the Week, the Huskies find themselves in a fourth place tie with their next opponent, Marshall, today at 7 p.m.

“I’m extremely happy for Steve,” head coach Willy Roy said. “This is a big honor for him.”

Goletz will face his toughest test of the season when the Thundering Herd (6-8-0, 2-2-0) hosts NIU (4-11-0, 2-2-0).

Despite the Herd’s innate ability to put points on the board, Roy remains optimistic about his goalkeeper’s chances.

“The team has really rallied around Steve, and I give Rasih Pala credit for tutoring him,” Roy said. “Rasih has really taken Steve under his wing, and Steve has shown he really wants to learn.”

Marshall’s record is deceiving as they have become the most powerful offense in the MAC this season.

The Herd leads the MAC in goals (28), assists (26) and shots, (247). The Huskies are second in shots with 207.

Leading the way for Marshall is Byron Carmichael. The Herd’s leading scorer is tearing through opponent’s defenses with 12 goals and 25 points on the season.

Carmichael became the all-time leading scorer in the MAC last week when he scored both of Marshall’s goals in the Herd’s overtime victory against Kentucky, NIU’s next opponent.

The Huskies’ Thomas Meiner has been lighting up the scoreboards as of late, and along with senior Peter Agrimson, the two will look to put goals on the board to counter Marshall’s high powered offense.

Meiner has scored two goals in the last two games and three on the season, tying him for eighth place in the MAC in goals scored.

The Huskies will then journey back to the Midwest to take on an underachieving Kentucky squad that was predicted to win the MAC and the MAC tournament championship prior to the start of the season.

Kentucky took the MAC by storm last season, going undefeated in conference and reaching the second round of the NCAA championship tournament.

Kentucky’s 2002 season has been a different story and is a prime example of how much pre-season predictions actually mean.

Beginning the season ranked No. 20 by the NSCAA/Adidas poll and No. 23 by the soccertimes.com poll, Kentucky was ranked as high as 17th during the season, but since have lost four of its last five games.

Contrary to last season’s dominance, Kentucky has been unsuccessful against MAC opponents, compiling an 0-2-0 mark in the MAC and an overall record of 7-7-0.

On the prowl for the Wildcats offense are Nathan Fleetwood and Jamal Shteiwi, who are tied for fourth in the MAC with 11 points.

However, the defense has been the strength of Kentucky this year, as it has allowed 20 goals on the season, placing them second in the MAC.

Roy summed up these next two games by saying, “We have to play with a relaxed feeling because we have nothing to lose.”