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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. –
Allison Ponzer netted a goal in the 84th minute to give the Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team a 1-0 victory over Tennessee Tech on Sunday afternoon.
Megan Frye started the play with a perfect pass into the box, where Ponzer tapped the ball past Tennessee Tech goalie Jordan Brown into the back of the net. It was the first goal of the season for the Norse, who outshot the Golden Eagles by a 24-10 margin.
Ponzer, a senior from Simon Kenton High School, scored her first goal since the 2011 season with the winning marker on Sunday. A year ago, she finished with a team-leading six assists.
"Just put it in the goal, that's what I was thinking," Ponzer said. "I didn't score last year, so it felt good to get one in, and we got our first win. So hopefully we will take it on to next week.
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"It definitely builds our confidence. We've been working really hard to get a win, and we finally got it. So, we're going to keep going."
Tanner Ruberg collected three saves and earned her second shutout of the season for Northern Kentucky, which improved to 1-2-1. Ruberg, who was named Atlantic Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Week last Monday, lowered her goals against average to 0.95 and has 23 saves this season.
"It was a quality goal and a really technical finish by (Ponzer) with the outside of the foot flick, and it was just a beautiful shot by (Ponzer) that got by the keeper," NKU head coach
Bob Sheehan said. "We thought as the game went on that one goal might be good enough to win, so we were fortunate that late in the game we were able to get a goal by Ponzer with a nice service by Megan."
Brown finished with 10 saves for Tennessee Tech, which dropped to 0-4 this season. A year ago, Tennessee edged Northern Kentucky, 3-2, in Cookeville, Tenn. The series between the two programs is now tied at 1-1.
"(The offense) is really working hard," Sheehan said. "The organization is getting better and better each time we come out. We are starting to get quality serves and, hopefully, we will continue to find runners in the box."
Northern Kentucky hits the road for a non-conference game at Morehead State this Friday at 7 p.m. The Norse return home and play host to Canisius next Sunday at noon at the NKU Soccer Stadium.
