With nine minutes left in the first quarter of his team's Tuesday game, Skyline goalkeeper PJ Merica left the net to make a clearing pass, only to see it stolen in his own end. He had to scramble back into net and make a standout save-point blank against Okemos.

The close call was forgotten quickly. Ten minutes into the fourth quarter he was at it again, taking the ball 10 yards past midfield and making a pass. This time, though, he set up a goal.

It’s feast or famine for Skyline’s young goaltender.

“He’s trying to give me a heart attack with that,” Eagles coach Jack Robenalt said. “I’m not satisfied with that, we need to clean that up a little bit. But he is very aggressive and he’s very vocal, and he has a great personality for a goalie. You need to be kind of fiery and loud, and he is. He’s very confident, and he’s good.”

Merica, a sophomore, said he’s always been aggressive from his position.

“I try to make plays for my team, get a spark lit under the whole offense,” Merica said.

And the style fits his personality.

“I’m pretty intense during the games,” Merica said. “I yell a lot, and that’s just part of being a goalie for me. I really want to win.”

Merica has stepped into the starting role ably while filling in for the injured Jordan Hickman. He’s helped the Eagles to a 9-2 win over Okemos Tuesday and a season-opening win against Plymouth.

But his play in Skyline’s lone loss of the year was likely his most impressive. Merica tied the MHSAA’s single-game saves record with 24 against Forest Hills Northern/Eastern in a 14-3 loss -- a number that Robenalt calls “absurd for a lacrosse game.”

The Eagles may soon be getting even stronger in net. Hickman, a junior, earned second-team All-State honors last year after backstopping the Eagles most of the season. Robenalt said Tuesday that expects him to be available to make his season debut in Friday’s game against Pioneer.

That means the Eagles could soon have a potent 1-2 combination of goaltenders.

“His potential is through the roof,” Robenalt said of Hickman. “So when Jordan gets back from his injury, I think it’s going to be fun to watch them grow the next three years together.”

And Merica has taken to the situation with the same intensity he shows on the field.

“Competition definitely improves us,” Merica said. “Jordan was second-team All-State last year so that definitely pushed me all summer, to get better and try to take that spot and he’s been doing the same thing.”

Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kyleaustin@annarbor.com or 734-623-2535. Follow him on Twitter @KAustin_AA.