The NKU women's soccer team opens the 2011 season on Friday against Findlay.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team kicks off the 2011 regular season on Friday with a 4 p.m. showdown at regional foe Findlay.
NKU will return home on Sunday to open the home half of the schedule against Tiffin. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m.
NKU opens the season ranked No. 17 in the NCAA Division II national poll below regional foes Wisconsin-Parkside (13) and Grand Valley (1).
The Norse are coming off a 17-2-2 season in which they advanced to the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship game and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
LAST TIME AGAINST FINDLAY: The Oilers were able to spoil NKU's season opener in 2010, playing the Norse to a scoreless draw.
Cassie Lingenhoel got the shutout in net for the Norse, making two saves in her only start of the season. NKU held the edge on shots, 19-12. It was the first time NKU had not secured a win against Findlay, pushing the all-time series to 9-0-1 between the teams.
LAST TIME AGAINST TIFFIN: Jayme Light and
Kendall Day each netted goals for the Norse in a 2-0 victory over the Dragons on Aug. 24, 2007. Day used a Cara Alldred assist to score in the 10th minute, while Light found the twine in the 50th minute off a pass from Hope Zinser. Alayna Fontaine made two saves to preserve the clean sheet as the Norse outshot the Dragons, 22-8, in the only previous meeting between the teams.
SENIORS STEPPING UP: NKU returns a stellar senior class this year, including All-Americans
Rachael Wood and
Amanda Mason. Additionally, midfielders
Kristi Hofmeyer,
Hannah Wissel and
Emily Martin, along with forward
Kelly Sullivan and defender
Laura Painter, make the Norse the favorites to take the GLVC title this season according to league coaches.
OFF TO A GOOD START: NKU is 11-2-1 all-time in season-opening games.
REACHING FOR 250: Head coach
Bob Sheehan needs 14 wins this season to reach the 250-win mark. The only head coach in NKU program history, he enters the 2011 season with a coaching record of 236-51-16. Sheehan ranks eighth all-time among Division II coaches for wins, with each of the top eight being active coaches.
