Steven Beattie (5) needs three goals to tie the NKU career record of 46.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team will play two important Great Lakes Valley Conference games this weekend against both Quincy and Rockhurst at the Town & Country Sports Complex in Wilder, Ky.
Friday's game against Quincy kicks off at 5 p.m., while Sunday's matinee against Rockhurst begins at noon. Live stats for each game and an audio broadcast of Sunday's contest will be available at nkunorse.com.
The Norse are 9-2-1 on the season, including a 6-2 mark in GLVC play. NKU dropped a hard-fought 1-0 decision at Lewis on Friday afternoon before closing out the week with a 6-0 win over Illinois-Springfield.
Steven Beattie, who leads the team with 11 goals, paces the NKU offense, while junior goalkeeper
Michael Lavric brings a 0.99 goals allowed average into the weekend's action.
A WORD ABOUT QUINCY: The Hawks enter Friday's contest with a 6-4-2 record and a 5-2-1 mark in GLVC play. Jake Pittroff and Jack Wedemeier, each with seven goals on the season, are the players to look for offensively, while Kyle Dillman has started all 12 games in net, boasting a 1.45 goals against average.
LAST TIME AGAINST QUINCY: A late own goal by the Hawks complemented
Steven Beattie's early marker to give NKU a 2-1 victory over Quincy last season.
Michael Lavric made five saves in the contest to take the victory. Quincy holds the edge in the all-time series, 7-5-3, though NKU has won the last three games between the clubs.
A WORD ABOUT ROCKHURST: The defending GLVC champions, Rockhurst is off to another strong season, going 8-4 overall and equaling NKU's 6-2 GLVC record. All-GLVC performer Haggai Leboo is once again the center of the Hawks' offense, leading the team with six goals. Kyle Clawson has been solid in net, posting a 0.51 goals against average and an .812 save percentage. Rockhurst has owned the all-time series, 6-3-2.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST ROCKHURST: NKU failed to get a win over the Hawks in two tries last season, taking a scoreless draw from the regular-season contest before Rockhurst took a 2-0 win in the GLVC Tournament championship game. Tom Heniemann and Pat Kearns scored the goals for the Hawks in the postseason meeting.
CONFERENCE BATTLE: This weekend's games will help to shake up the top of the GLVC standings as Rockhurst and NKU are currently tied for second in the league at 6-2, while Quincy is just a half-game back at 5-2-1. Drury continues to dominate the GLVC with a perfect 8-0 conference record.
REGIONALLY SPEAKING: The first NCAA Division II regional rankings of 2009 were released this week as NKU came in as the No. 3 team in the Midwest Region. Drury and Ashland claimed the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in the rankings. The top four teams in the region will be invited to the NCAA Tournament.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: The Norse dropped four spots to No. 15 in the NCAA Division II national poll after a 1-1 weekend in GLVC play. NKU has now been ranked in the last 38 national polls dating back to Oct. 3, 2006.
