Lady Toppers head coach Jason Neidell is hoping his new security blanket pans out against rival Middle Tennessee State this weekend.

With freshman goalkeeper Libby Stout suspended for Friday’s game because of her red-card on Sunday, freshman Laura Brittany Wathen will get the start in the net.

“It was definitely unexpected,” Wathen said. ” I wasn’t expecting her to be red-carded.”

Neidell has plenty of faith in his new goalkeeper.

“I have a ton of confidence in her,” Neidell said. “The girls have a real good connection with her.”

Wathen has only been practicing with the team for a week but neither she nor Neidell is worried. Neidell said

Wathen decided at the beginning of the season that she didn’t want the time commitment that comes along with being on a Division-I team, but said that if they needed her at any point then she would be willing to participate.

Now that she’s returned, Wathen doesn’t see nerves as an issue.

“I don’t get too nervous, so I think I’ll be okay,” she said.

Neidell said they just have to roll with the punches.

Wathen could play a large role in determining the seeding for the Lady Toppers as they face the Blue Raiders, who sit right behind Western in the Sun Belt standings at 7-3.

Neidell expects MTSU to be well organized as a team.

“They are a team who likes to knock the ball around and possess it,” Neidell said.

Western’s goal at the beginning of the year was to finish in the top three in the regular season, and a win or tie against MTSU will do that for the team. Pending the results of the Denver-North Texas game, Western can finish as high as second.

Neidell doesn’t think his team is in any way off track after their loss Sunday, but does hope his players have a frame of mind going into this game and the SBC Tournament next week.

“Our players need to have confidence in themselves going into the tournament,” he said.

Stout couldn’t be reached for comment.

Reach Mike Stunson at sports@chherald.com.