DETROIT – Macy Hamblin's second-half goal lifted the Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over the University of Detroit Mercy on Tuesday afternoon in the final regular-season contest of the 2014 season for the Norse.
 
After 79 minutes of scoreless action, Jessica Frey set up the game's lone goal when she served the ball to Hamblin, who was just outside the box.  Hamblin then sent her shot over Detroit goalkeeper Marina Manzo's head for a 1-0 Norse lead in the 79th minute.  The goal marked Hamblin's seventh of the season.
 
"I thought we played hard and showed a nice team spirit and comradery out there today," NKU head coach Bob Sheehan said.  "The defense worked hard, and the midfield worked hard as well.  Our forwards created several opportunities, and Macy came through with an outstanding goal.  We are starting to play with a lot more confidence as we keep winning, and that is important for us as we head into the conference tournament."
 
With the win, NKU improved to 8-7-3 overall as the Norse prepare for their first appearance in the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship.  NKU, which earned the fifth seed in the tournament after finishing conference play with a 3-3-1 record, will take on No. 4 North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida, at noon on Saturday.  Links to live stats and the video broadcast are available at NKUNorse.com.
 
The NKU offense pressured the Detroit defense early in the first half.  Aubrey Muench, who was selected as the Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week on Monday, took the contest's first shot when she directed a header just wide of the goal.  Less than 10 minutes later, Muench placed her second shot attempt on target, but Manzo stepped up and made the stop for the Titans to keep the game scoreless.
 
Both teams had chances to put a goal on the scoreboard late in the opening stanza.  Alyssa Riley's header in the 38th minute was turned away by Norse goalkeeper Brooke Schocker, and Abbey Scherer's attempt in the 41st minute was stopped Manzo for a 0-0 score at the halftime break.
 
After Hamblin's late goal, the Titans put the pressure on the NKU defense over the last 10 minutes of the match, taking four of their 12 shots as the clock wound down.   Anna Mindling and Sara Zawacki each attempted to score in the final minute, but both chances were blocked by the NKU defense to ensure the Norse victory.
 
NKU finished with a 16-12 edge in shot attempts, including a slight 5-4 advantage in shots on goal.  The Norse took six corner kicks and were able to produce three chances off those opportunities. 
 
Muench led the offense with six shot attempts, including two on goal, while Hamblin took five shots of her own for NKU.  Frey, Sam Davis, Abbey Scherer, Elizabeth Wittwer and Kelsey Zwergel each recorded one shot on the day as well.  Schocker made four saves for the Norse to earn her sixth win of the season and third consecutive shutout performance.
 
Mindling, Riley and Jennifer Borawski each finished with two shot attempts to lead the Titans offense.  Manzo allowed one goal and collected three saves in 81 minutes of action in goal, while Martha Dunbar turned away one Norse shot in the final nine minutes of the game for Detroit, which fell to 8-7-1 on the year.
 
With the win, NKU becomes the first team to beat the Titans on their home field since September 2012.  The Titans had an 16-game unbeaten streak on their home field, and the team had posted 13 shutouts in its last 16 matches at Titan Field.

The Norse, who enter the Atlantic Sun Championship on a three-game winning streak, finish their 2014 regular season with the team's first winning record as an NCAA Division I program.  The eight wins eclipsed the six NKU victories in each of the previous two seasons, and the 8-7-3 regular-season record also represents NKU's first winning record at the Division I level.  The Norse went 5-4-2 in nonconference action after earning the win against Detroit.
 
"Our goal at the beginning of the season was to be at least .500 in nonconference play," Sheehan said, "and it was great that we were able to achieve that goal this afternoon."