Sophomore transfer Ruffin Lumbala (21) will bolster the NKU midfield this season.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team opens the 2010 regular season on Friday against regional foe Findlay. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Live stats and an audio broadcast will be available at nkunorse.com.
The Norse are coming off a 15-6-2 season that included a fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Steven Beattie returns for his senior season as NKU's all-time leading goal scorer. Beattie led the team with 19 markers last season and has 51 career goals. Senior
Michael Lavric will man the posts once again as the goalkeeper, bringing in his 20 career shutouts, also a career record.
The men will look to their youth for support on the scoring end, particularly sophomore
Jordan Grant, who scored a header goal in the Cincinnati exhibition, and freshmen
Michael Holder and Mohammed Salhieh. Holder served as one of NKU's prime attackers in the preseason, and Salhieh notched a pair of assists in the victory over Centre.
The Norse close out the weekend on Sunday with GLVC contests against Southern Indiana. The doubleheader begins with the women's game at noon followed by the men at 2:30 p.m.
LAST TIME AGAINST FINDLAY: Beattie's set-piece goal in the 84th minute was enough for the Norse to pick up a 1-0 victory over Findlay last season. Lavric made one save in the game to set the NKU record for shutouts with his 17th. NKU leads the all-time series against the Oilers, 7-2-1.
NORSE IN THE NATIONAL POLL: NKU opens the 2010 season as the No. 21 team in the NCAA Division II national preseason poll. The Norse have been included in 45 of the last 46 national polls dating back to Oct. 3, 2006.
PRESEASON PLAY: The men come off a 1-1-1 preseason in which the Norse battled Cincinnati to a 1-1 draw before falling to IUPUI, 2-1. NKU closed out the exhibition season with a 3-1 victory over Centre.
