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Will_Padgman

ARTICLE:Pre-Season Preview: Goalkeepers

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How can a defending national champion team replace a defensive MVP of a College Cup after he graduates? Where can a team look to ensure the safety of that large looming net in the back?The Hoosiers are about to show the world if it can be done. While the candidates may be young and not the most experienced in the college game, that will not deter them from strapping up the gloves and doing all they can to prevent the ball from kissing the twine.

So without further ado, let's meet the men who will be the last line of defense for Indiana.

Michael Soderlund: The redshirt sophomore from Boise, Idaho, is the only Hoosier who has experience in goal at the collegiate level, with 108:03 minutes total in his time with Indiana, all coming his freshman season in 2011. After securing his first and only win against Evansville that year, he stayed off the pitch this past year to reserve a year of eligibility. One takeaway from his only stint of action was his five saves in a full 90 minutes against the Purple Aces, and finished his freshman year with a Goals Against Average of 0.83.

Soderlund is the favorite to start between the posts for the Hoosiers, having played the most in the preseason matches. The results may not have been W's, but his 11 saves against the U-20 Mexican National team are a tribute to how poised the up-and-comer is.

Colin Webb: The second choice behind Soderlund has to be freshman Colin Webb. Even with no recorded time on the pitch for the Hoosiers, his credentials tell all you need to know about his ability to play the game. A member of the U-15 and U-17 National Team pools, Webb is no stranger to a high level of competition. In addition to his national achievements, he has also had the opportunity to train internationally, most notably at the Tottenham Hotspurs Academy in London as well as the Sporting Lisbon Academy in Portugal. These experiences will prove to be very valuable as his training progresses at IU.

Sean Weidman: This redshirt sophomore sat out his freshman year and didn't receive any playing time behind Soffner last year, but did gain Academic All-Big Ten honors. In high school, he started 54 games with 31 of them being shutouts, and posted a GAA of 0.53 as a senior when he led his team to an undefeated regular season. He is very familiar with senior Nikita Kotlov as they played together on their high school team and in club play.

Kyle Wieschhaus: He didn't play soccer last year as a freshman, as instead he was on the practice squad IU's women's basketball team. Up in South Bend he was named a team captain and MVP while leading St. Joseph's to a sectional title and regional runner-up. Just because he spent last year on the hardwood doesn't mean he can't make an impact on the pitch. Curt Miller, the women's basketball team coach, stresses the importance of leadership from his players, so you can be sure that message wasn't lost on Kyle.

Though the roster shows four keepers, coach Todd Yeagley will certainly be looking to only have to use one throughout the season, while having the others gain experience when they can.

While the assumption is Soderlund will start day one, Webb certainly has the skill set to challenge for the job. It will certainly be interesting to see who can step up and provide rock solid performances week in and week out.

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It is VERY optimistic, but there is no reason to doubt yet, as no official time on the pitch has been logged. Soderlund has been putting in a lot of time in practice, with Webb putting up similar efforts. Will be very interesting to see what comes of the GK position in the coming weeks

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