HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team begins its 2013 season against Robert Morris on Friday in Moon Township, Pa., with kickoff scheduled for 4 p.m.
NKU then returns home to wrap up its opening weekend with a home match against Murray State on Sunday at the NKU Soccer Stadium. The game is slated to begin at noon.
NKU finished its inaugural NCAA Division I campaign 6-11 overall and 3-6 in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The team captured its seventh consecutive NSCAANational Team Academic Award and second straight Team Ethics Award at the conclusion of the 2012 season.
Video for Sunday's contest will be available via ASun.TV, and live stats will be available at NKUNorse.com.
ABOUT ROBERT MORRIS: Robert Morris posted a 2-16-2 overall record last season and was 2-7-1 in the Northeast Conference. The Colonials return nine starters and 15 letterwinners from that squad, including senior Alexa Sarsfield, who led Robert Morris with five points on two goals and one assist last year.
Sophomore goalkeeper Chelsea de Jager also returns for the Colonials. In 2012, she collected 77 saves and recorded a2.26 goals against average. She saw action in 14 games and started 12 times.
NKU and Robert Morris have never met in women's soccer.
ABOUT MURRAY STATE: Murray State returns eight starters from last season's team that finished 4-13 overall and 2-8 in the Ohio Valley Conference. One of the returnees is sophomore Megg Hudson, who scored her first collegiate goal against NKU last season. Hudson scored three goals total last season and tops the returning players in that category.
The Racers open their season at Evansville on Friday night.
A year ago, sophomore Maria Silbersack scored two goals as the Norse defeated Murray State, 4-2, at Cutchin Field in Murray, Ky., in the only meeting between the two schools. Hanna Pateryn also recorded her first collegiate goal in that game, as well.
SUNDAY'S PROMOTIONS: All NKU students in attendance at Sunday's match will be entered to for a chance to win free books in the NKU Bookstore shootout during the men's soccer exhibition game against Kentucky on Sunday at 7 p.m.
The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a free 2013 schedule poster, and a Sunday Funday Bingo game will happen during the game. The winner of bingo will receive and NKU t-shirt and a Toppers Pizza coupon.
OPENING-GAME SUCCESS: The Norse enter Friday's contest with a 13-2-1 record in season-opening games.
Last season, the first women's soccer victory in all of Division I belonged to NKU, as the Norse used a 2-0 win to defeat Canisius in Buffalo, N.Y. According to TopDrawerSoccer.com, the noon kickoff marked the first game of the regular season played across the nation.
Martha Staab put the Norse on the scoreboard first in the 42nd minute, and Kelsey Laumann added a goal at 71:22 to secure the win.
GAINING EXPERIENCE: Injuries have plagued the Norse during the preseason, paving the way for NKU's transfers and freshmen to step up and gain immediate experience. Seven newcomers received starting positions over the Norse's two exhibition games, and three others received time off the bench.
Casey McMillan, a sophomore transfer from Grand Valley State, made an impact when she scored the lone NKU goal against Indiana State on Aug. 12, with Aubrey Muench, a freshman from Cold Spring, Ky., assisting on the play.
PRESEASON POLL: NKU was picked to finish eighth in the Atlantic Sun Conference preseason coaches poll.
Florida Gulf Coast received five first-place votes and was chosen the favorite to win the conference with 95 total points. Jacksonville was selected to finish second, while East Tennessee State and Mercer tied for third. Kennesaw State rounded out the top five.
