Northern Kentucky University Athletics

Photo gallery | Box score

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Kathryn Hale and Amanda Mason each scored two goals Friday night to lead the Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team to a 7-0 victory over visiting William Jewell at the NKU Soccer Stadium.
Allison Ponzer added a career-high three assists for NKU, which improved to 4-1 overall, 2-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Norse finished with a 25-2 advantage in shot attempts and gave head coach Bob Sheehan his 240th career victory on the NKU sideline.

Sheehan, who started the NKU program in 1997, is now 240-52-16 as the Norse head coach.

“I thought we defended well, front to back, and we moved the ball pretty well,” said Sheehan, who has led NKU to seven GLVC Tournament titles and three NCAA Division II Final Four appearances. “In the second half, things opened up for us and we scored five goals and were able to get everybody who's healthy in the game.”

William Jewell, in its first year as a competing member of the GLVC, fell to 2-2 overall, 1-2 in the GLVC.

Hale started the NKU scoring onslaught by netting a goal at the 4:36 mark off an assist from Laura Painter. The Norse extended the advantage to 2-0 at the 15:41 mark when Painter sent a corner kick into the box and Mason found the back of the net with a shot off her knee.

NKU settled for the 2-0 lead at halftime, despite holding an 8-2 edge in shots and 6-1 advantage in corner kicks. NKU owned a 17-0 advantage in second-half shot attempts and turned the contest into a blowout.

Kelsey Laumann scored her fourth goal of the season in the 59th minute, and Kristi Hofmeyer followed with her first marker of the year four minutes later to make it 4-0. Hale (pictured at the right) and Mason tallied back-to-back goals to extend the NKU lead to 6-0, and CG Bryant capped the scoring with a marker in the 81st minute.

The Norse entered Friday's contest leading the nation in scoring at 6.5 goals per game. NKU has outscored the opposition by a 33-4 margin this season.

“We're working hard off the ball and communicating better,” Hale said. “A number of players are scoring goals for us right now.”

The Norse play host to Rockhurst at noon on Sunday.