To their teammates, they're referred to as Woody and Bricks. To the adversary, they're a threatening duo capable of being soccer's finest.

Together, Michigan men's soccer defenseman Alex Wood and goalie Chris “Bricks” Blais — who gets the nickname for his brick-wall guise in the box — have balanced a competitive atmosphere with a fun and lively environment.

"Chris is the biggest motivator," junior forward Justin Meram said. "I look to him as a captain of our squad. He lifts our spirits up and gets us pumped and ready for every victory. I'm always really comfortable playing when Chris is on the field."

Blais has displayed tremendous athleticism this season. Having not allowed a second half-goal in five games, his play in the net has been a catalyst to the Wolverines’ success.

But even when the team is not under the lights, Blais develops unique ways to foster team unity.

According to freshman midfielder Alex Klein, Blais slowly took off his clothes during team fitness tests at the beginning of the season — it's now a tradition that Blais is credited for starting.

“Finally, he’s just in his sliding shorts and he’s running the ball out,” Klein said jokingly.

Wood brings a unique persona to the practice environment. He is typically known for listening to techno music before each game to pump himself up, according to freshman midfielder Hamoody Saad.

“Woody, he doesn’t start, but he comes off the bench with a lot of motivation,” Saad, Wood's road roommate, said.

Wood and Blais have discovered a way to work as two role models cooperatively, something that will come in handy as the Wolverines (5-1) embark on a journey to University Park to take on a fierce Penn State (4-3-1) squad.

Traveling to State College will be difficult — Michigan will have to take a seven-hour bus ride this weekend. But the Nittany Lions are coming off a heartbreaking 1-1 tie they had two days ago. This means the Wolverines may have the momentum heading into the game, since Penn State fans witnessed such a disappointing loss.

“On the field, Chris and I give each other our own space and we know that each will pull our own weight and come together for the win,” Wood said.