HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team will host Bowling Green State this weekend in their first home game of the 2013 season. This will be the first time that the Norse and Falcons have ever met on the pitch.
The Norse started out this season with eight straight road games and they have amassed a 3-2-3 record. They are currently on a four game unbeaten run, whereas the Falcons are on a two game losing streak. Bowling Green has played an extremely tough schedule so far this season and they are currently 1-4-2. They have played the likes of #14 Michigan, #16 Marquette, #24 Milwaukee, Ohio State, and #15 Akron. They play in the Mid-American Conference, which is known as one of the top conferences in Division I soccer.
"They (Bowling Green) have gotten of to a rough start but they have played a really tough schedule," said head coach
John Basalyga. "They have struggled a little bit but who wouldn't if you had to play who they played. They have a rich tradition at Bowling Green and its going to be an extremely challenging game for us."
The last time the Norse played a home game was their exhibition against Kentucky on Aug. 25. A record crowd of 1,462 spectators came out to watch the Norse play the Wildcats to a 1-1 draw. The players and Basalyga are looking forward to playing in front of their fans this weekend.
"With playing so many games on the road, it's hard to see how they guys will react to being home," said Basalyga. "The way the players prepare themselves mentally over the next couple days is crucial. How they do that will dictate how they perform on the field."
The Norse have been getting a lot of contribution from their freshmen this season.
Setho Moshoeshoe has established a spot in the starting XI and
Matt Dombrosky and
Noah Johnson have recently been getting large chunks of minutes off the bench. Basalyga credits this to how the freshmen have adjusted to the college game.
"The key for freshman is to find proper conditioning," said Basalyga. "In spurts they have done well and in others they have struggled, but it's a new culture for them. The guys that adjust the best are the ones that get playing time."
Promotions for this weekend's game include:
-Junior Norse Day: All kids 12 and under will receive free admission into the game and be eligible to get team autographs from the Norse players following the contest.
-Soccer Bingo presented by Toppers Pizza: Bingo winners will receive an NKU t-shirt and a Toppers gift certificate. #SundayFunday
-NKU Alumni Day: The NKU Alumni Programs will be hosting a tailgate starting at 11 a.m. For more information on the event
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Kick-off against Bowling Green is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday Sept. 29. Live video stream and stats will be available at nkunorse.com. For game updates, follow @NKUNorse on Twitter and also follow @NKUNorseMSOC, the official Twitter account of NKU men's soccer.
