Men's Soccer | 11/13/2014 2:02:00 PM
NASHVILLE – The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team is preparing to take on Florida Gulf Coast in the Atlantic Sun Championships Semifinals on Friday, Nov. 14.
The Norse won their opening round fixture against Stetson, 1-0, thanks to a 77th minute goal from
Ian O'Reilly.
Cian McDonald found O'Reilly from a corner kick and the 6'2 centerback headed in the game-winning goal. It was the second time this season the Norse had faced the Hatters with both matches ending in 1-0 victories for the black and gold.
FGCU will present a formidable challenge for
John Basalyga's side. The Eagles are the No. 2 seed in the tournament with a 4-1-1 conference record. They earned a first round bye in the A-Sun tournament, so their match against the Norse will be their first postseason contest of the year. FGCU was nationally ranked earlier this season at No. 25 and their on-field quality has presented a lot of problems for their oppositions through the season.
The Eagles played the Norse in Highland Heights this year, defeating NKU 3-1. FGCU was in control of the whole match, leading NKU, 3-0, until McDonald netted a late goal to prevent the clean sheet. NKU outshot FGCU in that match (20-11) but the Eagles proved to be more lethal in their attack.
This fixture will be different given the severity of the match. FGCU is looking to boost its resume in hopes for qualifying for the NCAA Tournament while NKU is looking to crash the A-Sun's postseason party in their first opportunity to compete for a conference title. Weather will be a factor in this match as the forecast is showing temperatures between 30-40 degrees by kickoff.
Links for live stats and video will be posted to nkunorse.com. Kickoff is scheduled for 5p.m. (ET) at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex in Nashville. Follow @NKUNorseMSOC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get a behind the scenes look at the NKU men's soccer team as they prepare for the FGCU match.
