HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team looks to rebound from a tough homestand this weekend, as the Norse travel to the Sunshine State for a pair of Atlantic Sun Conference games.
 
NKU heads to Fort Myers, Florida, on Friday to face Atlantic Sun leader Florida Gulf Coast at 7 p.m.  The Norse will then make the trip north to Stetson on Sunday with kickoff from DeLand, Florida, slated for 1 p.m.  Links to live stats and the video broadcasts for both contests will be available at NKUNorse.com.
 
The Norse dropped two games by one goal each at the NKU Soccer Stadium over the weekend, falling to 4-5-3 overall and 0-2-1 in the Atlantic Sun.  Kaitlyn Bassett, the conference preseason co-player of the year honoree, scored the contest's lone goal to give Jacksonville a 1-0 victory over NKU on Friday, before North Florida netted a goal in the final 10 minutes of the game to lift the Ospreys to a 2-1 win two days later.  Jessica Frey recorded the only Norse goal of the weekend and created several additional scoring chances that fell just short on Sunday.
 
ABOUT FLORIDA GULF COAST:  The Eagles enter Friday's contest with a 10-3 record on the year and a perfect 3-0 mark in Atlantic Sun play after defeating USC Upstate and Kennesaw State in overtime last weekend by scores of 3-0 and 2-1, respectively.   As a team, FGCU nationally ranks among the top in two categories, landing 13th in assists per game (2.38) and 21st in points per game (6.69). (Are those records or scores for Upstate and Kennesaw?)
 
Offensively for the Eagles, Tabby Tindell leads the team and the conference in points (32) and goals (14).  Tindell, the Atlantic Sun preseason co-player of the year, is in the national rankings in several categories as well.  She ranks third in points per game (2.46), second in goals per game (1.077), second in total goals (14), third in total points (32), and first in game-winning goals (7).  Shannen Wacker is tops in the Atlantic Sun in assists with nine, and she is 10th nationally in assists per game (0.69) and seventh in total assists (9).
 
Brittany Brown has played every minute in goal for FGCU this season.  She boasts a 0.77 goals against average, which lands her second in the conference, and has posted six shutouts this season.  Brown has only surrendered 10 goals over the team's 13 games, and she has made 53 saves.
 
LAST TIME AGAINST FLORIDA GULF COAST:   Tessa Berger and Shannen Wacker both tallied first-half goals for FGCU to give the Eagles a 2-0 win over NKU on Oct. 4, 2013, at the NKU Soccer Stadium.  Berger's goal in the 11th minute opened the game's scoring, and Wacker added an insurance goal at the 39:16 mark.
 
Eagles goalkeeper Brittany Brown recorded the shutout and saved two shots.  FGCU finished with a 25-8 advantage in total shots, including 11-2 on goal, and owned an 11-0 edge in corner kicks.
 
With the win, FGCU improved to 2-0 all-time against the Norse.  The Eagles cruised to a 6-0 victory during the 2012 season in Fort Myers, Florida, led by Wacker's three goals.
 
ABOUT STETSON:  The Hatters are 3-9-1 overall and 1-2-0 in the Atlantic Sun before hosting Lipscomb on Friday evening.  Stetson split a pair of conference games a week ago, dropping a 2-1 decision to Kennesaw State on Friday and earning a 3-2 victory over USC Upstate two days later.  Eduarda Pavao scored with less than three minutes remaining to give the Hatters their Sunday win.
 
Pavao leads the Stetson offense, tallying nine points on four goals and one assist.  Sarah Collins has a team-high three assists to go along with her two goals for seven points, while Danielle Hurme also has recorded two goals for the Hatters.
 
Karlie Hightower has made 10 appearances and earned nine starts in goal for Stetson.  She holds a 2.09 goals against average and collected the team's only shutout this season.  She has recorded 31 saves, while Ashley Ingolia and Kahri Smith have each seen time in goal for the Hatters as well.
 
LAST TIME AGAINST STETSON:  Ashni Deschenes' goal with less than three minutes remaining in regulation gave Stetson a 2-1 victory over NKU on Oct. 6, 2013, at the NKU Soccer Stadium.  With the score tied at 1-all, Deschenes sent an 18-yard shot past NKU goalkeeper Tanner Ruberg into the back of the net at the 87:17 mark, with Mara Keomanivane and Paige Law being credited with assists on the goal.
 
Abbey Scherer gave NKU a 1-0 lead in the 37th minute with her first career goal, a shot that sailed over the outstretched hands of Stetson goalkeeper Victoria Troccoli.  The Hatters responded five minutes later when Danielle Hurme headed in a shot that was assisted by both Amber Grose and Carmen Bernecker.
 
NKU controlled the field much of the contest and finished with a 10-4 edge in corner kicks.  The Norse owned a 13-8 advantage in total shot attempts, four of which were on goal.
 
The Stetson win tied the all-time series between the two teams, as NKU defeated the Hatters, 1-0 in DeLand, Florida, in the first-ever meeting.
 
TAKING THE CORNER:  After the first two weekends of Atlantic Sun action, NKU ranks first against conference opponents in corner kick opportunities with 23.  Overall, the Norse have taken 68 corner kicks, which also lands atop the league standings, and they have been able to produce several quality shot attempts from their chances over the last few games.
 
On Friday, NKU created shots off each of the team's three corner kicks, which all came within a two-minute span in the second half.  Macy Hamblin's first attempt bounced off the right post, and her second was blocked by the Jacksonville defense.  Chrissy Spears' shot was stopped by goalkeeper Sarah Sierra.
 
The Norse took four shots off their six attempts against North Florida on Sunday afternoon.  Ospreys goalkeeper Megan Dorsey turned away headers by Sami Rutowski and Elizabeth Wittwer, and Aubrey Muench and Hamblin's shots went just wide of the goal.
 
In NKU's 4-3 come-from-behind victory over Robert Morris on Sept. 26, the Norse gained the lead when they capitalized on a corner kick opportunity.  Kelsey Laumann served the ball, and Abbey Scherer passed the ball to Morgan Schafer, who found the back of the net for her second goal of the season.
 
FREY IMPACT:  NKU freshman Jessica Frey made the most of her time on the field against North Florida on Sunday.  She wasted no time making her presence known, as she sent her first shot on target, but it was stopped by North Florida goalkeeper Megan Dorsey.  With the Norse trailing 1-0, she almost brought the game even with her second attempt in the closing seconds of the half, but the attempt just missed to the right of the goal.
 
Frey's second-half performance started in the same way as the first.  Dorsey stopped her third attempt of the day, but Frey tied the game in the 76th minute when she gathered a free kick ball from Sami Rutowski.  Her quick shot slipped through the left side of the goal, marking the second of her career. 
 
UP NEXT:  After NKU makes a midweek trip to Louisville on Oct. 15, the Norse return to the NKU Soccer Stadium to welcome Kennesaw State at 7 p.m. for the final home contest of the regular season.  The evening will include Senior Night festivities, as NKU honors CG Bryant and Abbey Scherer in a pregame ceremony. 
 
In addition, it will also be Local County Night where fans will receive $3 admission with proof of residency in Boone, Campbell or Kenton County.  Kids 12 and under can get in free as part of Junior Norse and Camper Reunion Day.

The Bank of Kentucky Center will host an event on Oct. 18 at 7:30 pm.  With this event conflicting with the NKU women's soccer game going on at the same time, there are some parking changes and recommendations for getting to the NKU Soccer Complex:
 

• Fans are encouraged to arrive early between 6-6:30 p.m. in order to avoid the traffic congestion that will increase as the 7:30 p.m. The Bank of Kentucky event approaches.

 

• Parking for soccer will be located in two areas on campus.  Soccer spectators will be able to park in the Welcome Center Garage on campus for $10 per vehicle.   There will also be a $4 per vehicle fee in Lot T, which is a bit further away from the NKU Soccer Complex.  Spectators can choose either lot for the soccer match that evening.