Northern Kentucky University Athletics

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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Second-half goals from Hannah Wissel and Amanda Mason led the Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team to a 2-0 victory in Friday's semifinal contest in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament.

The victory sends NKU (16-1-1) into the GLVC Tournament championship game for the second consecutive season. The Norse will take on Wisconsin-Parkside, which defeated Quincy, 1-0, in the day's first semifinal. The Rangers account for NKU's only loss on the season, a 2-1 overtime decision at Kenosha, Wis.

Bellarmine controlled the pace of play for the first 45 minutes of the game, outshooting the Norse 8-1 in the first half. The Knights (11-5-2) appeared to be on the same path in the second half before Wissel got the Norse on the board in the 68th minute, finishing a Kristi Hofmeyer cross to tally her first goal of the season.

Mason added her 16th goal of the season in the 88th minute off a Megan Frye corner kick to put the icing on the cake. Mason's goal pulled her into a share for the GLVC lead with Wisconsin-Parkside's Shannon Becker.

NKU goalkeeper Rachael Wood had another strong showing, making four saves to notch her 14th shutout of the season and the team's 16th clean sheet in 18 games. NKU has the No. 1 rated defense in all of Division II, entering the weekend with a 0.161 goals allowed average.

Last season, NKU defeated Quincy, 1-0, to take its unprecedented seventh GLVC championship.