20,000-minute man: Battery goalie closing in on milestone

Early in the first half of tonight's game with Puerto Rico, Charleston keeper Dusty Hudock will surpass the 20,000-minute mark in a Battery uniform.

No other player in Charleston Battery history has played as many minutes or in as many games as Hudock. Paul Conway, the former Battery striker, is second on the Battery's all-time minutes played list with 16,726.

"I guess what it means is that I've been here a long time and I've played in a lot of games," Hudock said with a shrug after Friday's training session. "To me it's just a number. I don't think about milestones and things like that. The only thing I'm concerned about is how we're playing right now and trying to get the team playing a little better so we can make a playoff run.

"Obviously, I'm very proud to have played with the Battery for that long a time. It's been an honor to play with all the guys I've played with. I was here when Blackbaud Stadium opened, and to play here for this long has been fantastic."

For nearly a decade, Hudock has been a fixture in the Battery's starting lineup since arriving in the Lowcountry in 1999.Hudock has started 219 times, compiling a 116-71-27 mark with a franchise record 80 shutouts. He has a goals against average of 1.06 and has allowed 236 goals, all of which he probably remembers.

"I think if you're a goalie you kind of remember them all, but you also have to put the last one out of your mind," Hudock said. "You have to think about the next save and that's what I've tried to do throughout my career."

It hasn't been an easy season so far for Hudock. The loss of veteran defender Mark Watson, who retired at the end of last season, has left a void in the Battery's defense. And while, Hudock, 35, has never been shy about voicing his opinion on the field, the fiery team captain has been forced to be even more vocal this season.

"Honestly, I don't think I'm talking any more on the field than I've done in the past," Hudock said. "What I've probably had to do is give a little more direction than I have in the past. But that's to be expected when you've got younger guys in the back. When Mark was in the lineup, he was the guy that did most of the talking. This year, I've had to do a little more organizing and that's probably why we're having some trouble. Sometimes I'm just too far away from the play to make a difference."

Middle defenders Tim Karalexis and Brandon Curran have been on other end of some of Hudock's harshest words. Both, however, said they don't take it personally and understand that that is part of Hudock's job.

"You've got respect what Dusty says because he's the veteran guy on the team," Karalexis said. "He knows the game as well as anyone out there, so you'd be stupid not to listen to him. You need someone out there to get on guys that are not doing their job.

"I'm trying to be that guy, but it's hard because I consider myself a nice guy and you can't be a nice guy out there all the time."

Defensively, the Battery has been inconsistent through the first half of the season. While the Battery has recorded five shutouts, they also have allowed five goals against Rochester and three goals each against Atlanta and Montreal.

"We've been up-and-down," Hudock said. "To be fair, we haven't been bad all the time. We'll make three or four mistakes and get punished for all of them. We just seem to mistakes in the wrong area."

Charleston coach Mike Anhaeuser, who played one season along side Hudock, said the former University of Washington star has made a career out of making big saves.

"The mark of a good goalie is not how many saves you make, but when you make them," Anhaeuser said. "The best goalies are the ones that make the biggest saves at the most crucial moments in the match and Dusty has certainly done that throughout his career."

Hudock, who played for Rochester during the 2005 season, said he hopes to play a few more seasons with the Battery.

"This is where I want my career to end," said Hudock, who played four years with Seattle at the beginning of his career. "I'm not going anywhere. I love this town and the ownership. The year I spent in Rochester was a debacle. Nothing against Rochester, but Charleston is a great place to live. There's no reason I can't play two or three more seasons."

Reach Andrew Miller at 937-5599 or apmiller@postandcourier.com.