The Penn State men's soccer team has gone through a lot this season.

Check that, the Big Ten Champion Penn State men's soccer team has gone through a lot this season.

Its coach was out for half the season after surgery, players were switching to positions that they weren't used to playing, and the always dreaded goalie controversy surfaced in Happy Valley.

Senior goalkeeper Ryan Sickman, who was the team's No. 1 goalie last season, had a rough opening two weeks and was shelved early on in favor of sophomore keeper Ryan Moate.

Moate consistently played well and didn't give Sickman the opportunity to get back in until late October. Penn State was flirting with dropping under .500 and early season confidence turned into late-season strife.

That is until Oct. 13. For some that is the day the ship righted itself. That was the night that Ryan Sickman regained control of his team, and he hasn't looked back since.

Since that fateful night in Columbus when Sickman shut out the Buckeyes, he's won seven of his last eight games and allowed only five goals in that period.

But it wasn't until last weekend that Sickman showed everyone that he was the man who should have been between the pipes all year long.

After shutting out Wisconsin on Thursday afternoon, people began talking about Penn State's goalie. But it was Friday night that the entire college soccer world took notice that between the pipes on Jeffrey Field, wearing a bright yellow jersey, was one of the nation's elite.

Sickman made eight saves throughout the game and the two overtime periods.

And these weren't just any saves.

Take the first overtime for example. As an Indiana forward streaked down the far sideline past the Penn State defense, it left Sickman alone. The Indiana player drilled the ball from about 10 yards from Sickman, and what happened?

Sickman punched the ball away, saving the Lions NCAA Tournament hopes.

The same thing happened in the second overtime, except this time Sickman had to dive to his right, using all of his huge wingspan to knock the ball out of box and letting his defense clear the loose ball.

But the good stuff came during the penalty kicks.

Indiana had the first shot. Sickman again did what comes naturally and stoned the Indiana player.

"I kind of just waited for him to make his move," Sickman humbly said after the game. "I just read him ... he totally gave it away."

After the Hoosiers missed the next shot high, Penn State put them away and moved into the championship game against No. 2 seed Michigan.

It was just more of the same for Sickman, keeping the Wolverines off the board until about 20 minutes were left in the game.

"Ryan was absolutely outstanding," Penn State head coach Barry Gorman said.

While Penn State senior tri captain Brent Jacquette was named defensive player of the game, a strong argument could have been made for Sickman's cause.

So, with getting the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament that comes with winning the Big Ten Championship, the Penn State team knows that it is peaking at just the right time. And what was a shaky situation in goal earlier in the season has become one of the most solid positions on the team.

"Sickman has proven to be the better goalie and obviously everyone can see that now," Jacquette said with his brand new Big Ten Championship hat, shirt and smile.

On a side note, the 42-team NCAA Tournament selections were announced yesterday and Penn State was given an automatic bid. They were given a bye in the first round, and will host a second-round game on Wednesday, Nov. 27 against the winner of the University of North Carolina vs. Winthrop matchup.

The Tar Heels are the defending National Champions, while Winthrop will be making its first-ever tournament appearance.

Indiana, the only other team from the Big Ten to make the tournament, also received a bye from the selection committee.