NATCHITOCHES – Playing between the posts as a goalkeeper can be a solitary charge, but for two Northwestern State keepers, it's a task they've taken on together.
Senior Brooke Bourbonais and sophomore Alex Latham battled through the preseason and early regular season for the starting spot, but coach George Van Linder couldn't declare a winner.
Quality play from both keepers forced Van Linder to mesh the tandem into a timeshare – "starter" Bourbonais plays the first half and Latham plays the second half, which has included three overtime matches this season.
The keepers will appear in their established roles as NSU (3-4-2, 0-0-1 Southland Conference) opens its home conference schedule against Lamar (5-5, 1-0) on Friday at 7 p.m.
"Both Brooke and Alex stood out this season," Van Linder said. "I think both have done enough to win a spot on the field.
"I feel that with every player on our team, if you're good enough to play, we'll play you."
The equal timeshare is the only one of its kind in the SLC and one of the few in the nation this season. NSU will need both keepers to be active as Lamar's 33 goals scored this season leads the nation.
Van Linder said he has the best goalkeeper tandem in the conference, but each individual keeper has made her own mark on the league leader board.
Both rank in the top five in goals against average in the conference, with Bourbonais (1.11) ranking third and Latham (1.38) fifth. Bourbonais allowed five goals in 405 minutes and Latham allowed seven goals in 455 minutes through nine official matches.
As a senior, Bourbonais admits she'd like to play all 90 minutes, but she added that the friendly competition has made each keeper better.
"I think it's good for the team," said Bourbonais, a Houston native and former walk-on that's recovered from a season-ending finger injury this past season. "Competing in practice is good for both of us.
"Both of us keep the game at the same pace and keep our defense comfortable. It's good for our defense, too, and not many teams can say they have two goal keepers that can come in and the defense can feel comfortable."
After Bourbonais' injury six matches into the 2014 season, Latham assumed full-time duties and started 17 of 19 matches. She posted a 2.28 goals-against average as a freshman, but she's become more comfortable in the shared spotlight.
"The competition is good for everybody," Latham said. "Knowing that we're so close, it brings out the best in both of us. We're both good."
NSU's 1-1 tie at Stephen F. Austin, the first time the Lady Demons have scored a point since 2008 against a program that's won the last three Southland Conference regular season titles and posted a 38-1-2 conference record since 2011, displayed both keepers' talents.
Bourbonais saved a penalty-kick attempt to keep the score knotted 1-1 in the first half – her second penalty-kick save of the season. She finished with four saves on nine shots faced.
Latham entered in the second half and endured a barrage of shots, making eight saves against 13 shots faced in a scoreless 65 minutes that included two overtimes.
"Brooke made a great save on the penalty kick, and you just don't save those very often," Van Linder said. "There was a moment in the second half in which SFA took an unbelievable shot, and their bench stood up to cheer.
"But Alex made the save, and then she stretched to deflect the rebound shot attempt. We talk about how we have the best tandem or the best trio (with redshirt freshman Cadence Starr), and they have done a great job of shining and realizing it's a team sport."
Bourbonais has six scoreless halves in her nine appearances en route to her 19 saves. Among those scoreless halves are LSU, UL Lafayette and ULM.
Latham's faced more opponent pressure in making her 28 saves, but she's recorded four scoreless halves including against then-No. 5 Texas A&M and SFA.
Assistant coach Emily Morphitis, in her second year of coaching NSU goalkeepers, said she's witnessed a lot of improvement from the keeper "family."
"It's been awesome to see the growth from this time last year. "For example, Alex's kicking has developed to a point where now it's one of her strengths, and I don't think she'd of said that last year.
"Brooke's come back from injury and has really pushed Alex to the wire and ended up splitting time. They both deserve to play, and they are really shining."
