NKU senior Kevin Donnelly (4) watches after uncorking a first-half shot that would end in his third goal of the season.
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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team fell short in its bid for back-to-back Great Lakes Valley Conference championships after losing to Drury in Saturday's quarterfinal round match by a 2-1 score.
With the loss, NKU falls to 13-4 on the year. NKU will go idle next weekend as the remainder of the GLVC Tournament plays out before selections for the NCAA Tournament are announced on Nov. 6.
Kevin Donnelly scored his third goal of the season in the 13th minute on a rocket shot from 25 yards out, knotting the game at 1-1 after an early foul gave Drury (12-7) a penalty kick goal in the seventh minute.
Drury's Scott Stiffler scored the difference maker in the 32nd minute in much the same way Donnelly got the Norse on the board. Stiffler saw an opening from about 30 yards out and uncorked a hard shot, sneaking the ball just inside the left post for his second marker of the year.
NKU held the edge on the shot total, 19-6, though neither team put a shot on frame outside of the three goals scored in the contest.
The Norse have now dropped two straight contests for the first time since ending the 2009 season with back-to-back 1-0 losses at Drury, first in the GLVC championship final and then in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
NKU has made the NCAA Tournament in each of the last five seasons, winning the program's first ever national championship last season with a 3-2 win over Rollins in the championship final. The Norse are four-time NCAA Midwest Region champions.
NKU also held its senior day ceremony on Saturday evening.
Tommy Barrick, Donnelly,
Stephen McGill,
Anthony Meyer and
Andrew Montgomery were all honored for their storied careers at NKU.
