Week 6 Game Notes | Atlantic Sun Conference Weekly Release
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team hits the road to begin its second season of Atlantic Sun Conference play this weekend with trips to Mercer and Kennesaw State.
The Norse face off against Mercer at Bear Field in Macon, Ga., on Friday at 7 p.m. and return to action on Sunday at Kennesaw State in Kennesaw, Ga. Kickoff for Sunday's action at the Fifth Third Bank Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m. Live stats for both matches along with a link to audio for Sunday's action will be available at NKUNorse.com.
NKU enters the weekend with a 4-4-1 overall record after dropping a 1-0 decision at Xavier to close out the non-conference portion of its schedule last Friday night. Taylor Dearbaugh's goal in the 60th minute was the only offense the Musketeers needed as they outshot the Norse, 9-6. Allison Ponzer and Casey McMillan led the NKU attack with two shots each.
ABOUT MERCER: The Bears are 5-4-1 on the year after defeating Georgia Southern, 3-2, at home on Sunday. Mercer leads the conference in several categories including shots (189), points (72), goals (25), assists (22) and corner kicks (66).
Washida Blackman leads the Mercer offense with 12 points on two assists and a team-high five goals, including the game-winning goal against Georgia Southern. Lauren Gassie is just behind Blackman in total points with 10. Gassie has recorded three goals and four assists on the year.
Maggie Cropp holds a 1.51 goals against average to pace the defensive efforts for the Bears. She has collected 39 saves and only allowed 14 goals.
LAST TIME AGAINST MERCER: Danielle Hesse scored the only goal of the game in the fourth minute of on Oct. 7, 2012, to lift Mercer to a 1-0 victory over the Norse at the NKU Soccer Stadium in the only meeting between the two teams. Gassie was credited with an assist on the play after sending a corner kick into the box, and Hesse gained control of the ball and sent a shot into the back of the net.
NKU outshot Mercer by an 8-5 margin in the second half to finish with a 15-14 edge in shots but were unable to get one past Cropp, who collected six saves on the day. Kelsey Laumann, Sarah Smith and Allison Ponzer collected three shots each to lead the Norse offense.
ABOUT KENNESAW STATE: The Owls hold a 3-5 record after defeating Troy, 2-0, on Sunday afternoon. Kennesaw State will host Lipscomb on Friday. Two of the Owls' defeats have come against nationally ranked opponents: then-No. 1 North Carolina (Sept. 1) and then-No. 12 Duke (Aug. 30) at the Carolina Nike Classic in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Maggie Gaughan scored her first two career goals on Sunday and leads the Owls' offense, which has only scored five total goals on the year, with four points. Olivia Sturdivant has played every minute in goal for Kennesaw State and holds a 1.38 GAA while recording 35 saves.
LAST TIME AGAINST KENNESAW STATE: Danielle Gray broke a scoreless tie in the 79th minute to give Kennesaw State a 1-0 victory over NKU on Oct. 5, 2012, at the NKU Soccer Stadium. Jewelia Strickland created the scoring opportunity for Gray by sending a corner kick into the box right in front of the goal, and Gray was able to find the back of the net.
Stephanie Glass stood strong in goal for the Norse despite the final margin, recording 10 saves on the night, which was the only previous meeting between the two programs.
FINISHING NON-CONFERENCE .500: NKU finished its second NCAA Division I non-conference schedule with a 4-4-1 record, which improves upon last season's mark of 3-5 (.375). The four Norse victories came against Tennessee Tech (Sept. 1), Morehead State (Sept. 6), Canisius (Sept. 8) and Youngstown State (Sept. 15). Canisius and Youngstown State made up two of the three wins from the 2012 season with the third coming at Murray State, which played the Norse to a 0-0 draw this season.
