Nick Lenkman is a business administration major and a senior goalkeeper on the UMSL men’s soccer team.

By KATIE RUTLEDGE

The UMSL men’s soccer team is having a great season with a 10-3-1 overall record and senior goalkeeper Nick Lenkman has been an integral part of the team’s success this season. Lenkman, a business administration major, has started every game in goal for the Tritons, allowing only 14 goals, while registering four shutouts.

As a senior, what is your role on the team?

My role is to organize and communicate with the defense. For example, I am responsible for setting up a wall when there is a free kick. Basically I make sure that the defense is in good position when the opponents have the ball.

UMSL senior Nick Lenkman

What is different about this year’s team than previous years’ teams?

This year’s team is truly a team. We have a solid midfield a solid backline and great scoring forwards. Even more we are a small team, but extremely bonded.

What are your plans for after you graduate from UMSL?

I will have to get a big boy job. I really enjoy meeting new people and talking so I would like to do something in sales or human resources. I also enjoy traveling so if I could, I would love a job that travels across the country or even overseas.

Can you take us through your thought process on shots you have faced in goal this season?

A lot of the time it comes down to positioning. I have to have the right angle on the shooter. What I mean by that is the distance I am between the ball and the goal. Once I have good positioning I just make sure I can see the shot and then it’s all reflex and muscle memory.

What has led to your success this year?

As a team it’s exactly that – we are a team. We don’t lean on one person. We expect everyone to step up and do their part. Personally, my success has come from a great group of guys in front of me. They do a great job of limiting other teams chances and they make my job that much easier.

Talk about some of your other teammates that you think have really stepped it up this year.

Again I don’t really think I can single out one guy. We are a small team that relies on everyone to step up and impact the game. We are led by a great captain and the senior class is doing an outstanding job pushing everyone else.

What does it mean to you as a goalie to have such a dominant offense scoring goals for the Tritons?

It takes some of the pressure off. I know that it’s not the end of the world if one gets by me. Don’t get me wrong I still hate giving up goals, but I can at least take a deep breath and move on with the game.

What is your favorite UMSL soccer memory?

I think my favorite UMSL memory is upsetting Rockhurst last year 2-1. We were at Rockhurst, who at the time was ranked nationally and hadn’t been beaten at home in nearly two years. We came in and had a shutout for 80 minutes before they scored. I just remember the feeling we had as we watched the clock tick down. It was great.

Katie Rutledge is a UMSL senior majoring in education with an emphasis in elementary education. She’s also an outfielder on the UMSL softball team and an athletics media intern.