Senior punter Justin Pines arrived in West Lafayette, Ind. later than the rest of the football team because of men’s soccer coach Tim Lenahan.
Lenahan held Pines up by asking Pines to practice with the soccer team and to tell him that he would be starting Sunday’s soccer game.
Pines did not see any action in NU’s 35-17 loss to Purdue on the football field Saturday, but he arrived in Evanston in time for his first start as the No. 12 Wildcats’ goalkeeper on Sunday.
“It was exciting,” Pines said about his first start since NU’s 3-2 loss to UC Santa Barbara in the NCAA tournament last year. “I was a little nervous. I’m not going to lie. I haven’t been out here in 11 months. After a week and a half of training, I feel like I got back on track. After the first shot – if you save it – it gives you a little bit more confidence and you keep building and it turned out well.”
Pines saved one shot in NU’s 2-0 win against No. 18 Michigan State. He could get his second start today when NU faces Western Illinois (5-8-3).
Lenahan called Pines back to the soccer team after sophomore goalkeeper Misha Rosenthal tore his MCL against No. 10 Indiana on Oct. 14. He called football coach Pat Fitzgerald and worked out a schedule to have Pines play both sports.
“You can see from his leg how good his leg is,” Lenahan said. “Anytime he kicks the ball he puts you on the attack and puts you out of trouble.
“And he’s got a great calming presence on our team especially with our defenders.”
Pines played in 12 games last season, starting six. He went 6-2-0 and earned three shutouts with a 0.88 goals against averages. Pines started all four games in the Cats’ NCAA tournament run to the Elite Eight.
He said he decided not to play soccer this year because he knew Rosenthal was the best goalkeeper on the roster.
Pines decided to try out for the football team since he had an extra year of eligibility from a medical redshirt in 2005.
“I heard from players last year that he was good and he could kick it far,” freshman forward Piero Bellizzi said. “So the first thing I started to do was push up the field.
“We got four breakaways and almost scored another two or three goals (Sunday). He helps us play with a lot more confidence. We know we’re secure back there.”
NCAA regulations limit Pines to four hours of athletics per day. He spends the mornings studying game tape and practicing with the football team. Then he goes to classes and spends two hours at soccer practice in the afternoon.
Sophomore midfielder Carl Pett said the defenders have a lot of confidence in him from the team’s postseason run last year.
This confidence and experience should help NU as the team prepares for the end of the season and the postseason.
Pines said he has been able to keep his focus on each sport and each game, but he might have to prepare for two games Saturday.
He will be punting against Iowa at Ryan Field in the morning and then may be starting against Wisconsin-Green Bay at Lakeside Field at night.
“It will be another day, ” Pines said. “I just got to stay warm. Can’t let those two hours in between games let my legs cool down and get tight. It will be fun.”
Reach Philip Rossman-Reich at [email protected].
