Michael Holder (left) celebrates one of his three goals from Monday's 3-2 win over Rio Grande in exhibition play on Monday.
RIO GRANDE, Ohio –
Michael Holder scored a hat trick to propel the Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team to a 3-2 exhibition victory over Rio Grande on Monday evening.
The win keeps the momentum going for the Norse after a 1-0 victory over IUPUI on Saturday evening.
Holder, a sophomore from Toronto, Ontario, started his scoring barrage in the 23rd minute, taking a cross from
Michael Bartlett and burying the shot from the top of the 18-yard box to give the Norse the early lead.
“I viewed tonight as a stepping stone into the season,” said Holder, who was the Great Lakes Valley Conference Freshman of the Year in 2010. “I'm getting more confident, I just need to work out a few kinks and I'll be ready.”
Rio Grande struck quickly in the second half, scoring an equalizer in the 51st minute. Holder put the Norse back on top just a minute later, though, intercepting a pass deep in Red Storm territory and beat the keeper to the left side.
The sophomore completed the hat trick just two minutes later when he converted a penalty kick opportunity after teammate
Nicholas Chiarot was fouled inside the penalty area.
Holder scored 15 goals in his freshman campaign to lead all returning players and saw this game as a good tune-up for himself and the team.
“Rio Grande really plays tough,” said Holder of tonight's opponents. “They're a strong, physical team and if we can compete with them it's really going to help us get ready to face our GLVC competition.”
Rio Grande went undefeated in the regular season in 2010 and won 22 consecutive games before falling in the second round of the NAIA national tournament.
NKU plays one more preseason exhibition, taking on Centre on Saturday night. The 2011 regular season opens on Sept. 1 against Findlay.
Tim Downer contributed to this report.
