Steven Beattie (5) looks to lead NKU to victory this weekend.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team returns to action this weekend, facing off against Great Lakes Valley Conference foes Lewis on Friday and Illinois-Springfield on Sunday.
Both games are slated for a 3:30 p.m. Eastern kickoff.
The Norse enter the weekend with an 8-1-1 record, including a 5-1 mark in GLVC play, after suffering their first defeat of the season, a 2-1 loss at the hands of Saint Joseph's on Friday night. The Norse rebounded to post a 3-2 victory over Wisconsin-Parkside on Sunday.
Steven Beattie continues to lead the NKU attack with 10 goals on the season, though he was held without a score this past weekend.
Andrew Montgomery follows with six goals, while
Kevin Donnelly's four assists lead the team.
NKU returns home to the Town & Country Sports Complex on Oct. 9 to host Quincy.
A WORD ABOUT LEWIS: The Flyers enter Friday's contest with a record of 5-3-1 overall and 4-3 in the GLVC, though they boast a 3-0-1 record on home turf this season. Nestor Hernandez leads Lewis with six goals on the season, while Kipp Cartwright claims five assists to lead the team. Sebastian Kieruzal boasts a 0.87 goals against average between the pipes.
LAST TIME AGAINST LEWIS: After their regular-season meeting was canceled by rain and their GLVC Tournament meeting was spoiled by Bellarmine, the Norse and Flyers finally met in the NCAA Midwest Regional championship game and could not find a goal between them, ending the game in a scoreless draw. The Norse would get the final word, though, taking the penalty-kick shootout by a 4-3 result to advance in the tournament. Lewis holds the edge in the all-time series, 16-13-2.
A WORD ABOUT ILLINOIS-SPRINGFIELD: The Prairie Stars are in their first year of competition in the GLVC and NCAA Division II after previously competing in the NAIA. UIS has compiled a 1-7-1 record this season, including a GLVC mark of 0-6-1 entering the weekend. Mauricio Ramirez leads the Prairie Star offense with two goals, while Jeremy Carnes serves as the backstop with a .684 save percentage. Sunday's game will be the first meeting between NKU and UIS.
DOWN BUT NOT OUT: An unfortunate result last weekend cause NKU to lose its No. 1 ranking, falling 10 spots to No. 11 in the latest NCAA Division II national poll. The Norse have been included in the last 37 national rankings dating back to Oct. 3, 2006.
NEAR THE TOP: Steven Beattie's 10 goals this season give him 42 on his career, just four shy of Chad Scott's school record of 46 career goals from 1992-1995.
LUCKY NUMBER SEVEN: Michael Lavric has stopped 27 shots this season, giving him 146 career saves, good for seventh all-time. Lavric needs eight saves to surpass Joe Buntic, who stands sixth with 153 career saves. Scott Dunajcik owns the career record with 500 saves.
