During practice noticing junior goalkeeper Erin McLeod is a little easier than during games.

She wears a bright yellow jersey, and there's a good chance that she can be heard from anywhere on the field.

This instance, Tuesday's practice, McLeod is serving as target practice in an offense-oriented drill. While her offensive counterparts are firing rockets at her, she's sending verbal high fives to them, whether they get one past her or not.

Always positive, cheering her teammates on, McLeod has found her niche on the team not only as a force in goal, but as a vocal energizer.

"Honestly, from her first recruiting visit I could tell she was a very good leader," Penn State women's soccer coach Paula Wilkins said. "She leads in the ways she knows how to and brings a lot of enthusiasm to the team."

She's been more than a pleasant surprise for the No. 3 Penn State (9-1-1, 5-0 Big Ten) women's soccer team but maybe you wouldn't notice her if you were at a game. Because with the team she has in front of her, shots on goal are a rarity against the Nittany Lions.

"I love it," McLeod said. "I love getting a lot of shots and a lot of action but I could really do without it. I've been really lucky to have a defense like that in front of me every game."

Through 11 games Penn State has only allowed 26 shots on goal, and McLeod has only given up three goals in her eight starts.

Tomorrow, however, McLeod will take the spotlight against Illinois. She's the best goalie in the Big Ten statistically, but when the Fighting Illini come to Jeffrey Field tomorrow night, McLeod will have a chance to take on arguably the best goalie in the country.

In the far net is 2003 All-American Leisha Alcia of Illinois. Alcia has six shutouts and a .43 goals against average in 12 games. McLeod has four shutouts and a goals against average (.32) skimming perfection. They have seen each other at soccer camps in Canada, where both are from.

"Definitely," McLeod said in regards to being excited for the marquee match-up.

"I've seen her at national camp and I know how good she is. It'll be hard to play against another goalie of that caliber."

McLeod, herself, brings quite a resume to Penn State. She was a two-year starter at Southern Methodist University from 2001-2002. She spent last year playing for the Canadian National Team, where she served as a back up on the team's fourth-place finish in the World Cup.

She said the wait of not playing much last year built a fire to get a chance to play. When Penn State called, McLeod was all over it.

"After I left SMU, I was talking to a bunch of schools," she said. "I was very pleased and honored that Penn State would consider me, so the second they gave me the option I took it as fast as I could."

With the arrival of the Vancouver native, it also gave Wilkins options. Along with junior Amanda Brown, the two split time the first four games, but McLeod established herself as the full-time goalie in mid-September. Since then only one goal has been scored against Penn State in seven games, the Lions tied the consecutive shutout record of five and McLeod has had four shutouts and combined on two others.

It's numbers like those that make opposing coaches weary.

"[McLeod's] not gonna give up soft goals," Illinois women's soccer coach Janet Rayfield said. "Penn State is a very tough defense to break down."

The Lions don't expect a breakdown anytime soon. With their eyes on their seventh straight Big Ten title, McLeod and crew look to extend their conference lead heading into the last stretch of the season.

Beating the best goalie in the nation in 2003 will do just that, and it also might put McLeod in the same class as Alcia.

If nothing else, tomorrow night's game against Illinois will showcase some grade eh, I meant A, goalkeeping.