Week 1 Game NotesHIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team is preparing to take on the Cincinnati Bearcats this Friday at the NKU Soccer Stadium. The Norse will begin the 2014 campaign against their local rivals, which they played out to a 1-1 draw in 2013 at Gettler Stadium.
"I think it's an opportunity to showcase two premier programs in the city of Cincinnati," said head coach
John Basalyga. "The fact that there is a natural rivalry there makes this good for soccer in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati area."
Last season, the Norse took the short trip across the Ohio River to meet the Bearcats in a midseason clash. Cincinnati's Ashani Walker opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when he curled in a free kick from 20 yards out to give the Bearcats the 1-0 lead. The Norse battled back in the second half and equalized in the 76th minute when
Caleb Eastham headed
Nick McGregor's cross into the top shelf of the goal. The match went into overtime but ended in a 1-1 draw.
"Teams change through year to year with injuries and graduations, and we have to remember last year is history now," said Basalyga. "You can't use that as a gauge for this year's game. UC is very athletic, quick, and it is going to be a good challenge for us. This game will be about surviving the first half to see what they're doing, make adjustments, and go for it."
The Bearcats went 6-12-1 (1-7 in the American Athletic Conference) in 2013 and are returning a majority of last season's starters. UC is picked to finish eighth in the AAC this year. The team's leading goal scorer in Walker and sophomore goalkeeper Alex Gill will be two major focal points for the Norse heading into the contest.
"They are returning about eighty percent of their starters," said Basalyga. "They just have a lot of experience coming back. As far as opening up with them, I think it's a great chance to set a tone for both of us. Both teams are healthy coming out of a good preseason."
The Norse finished their preseason last weekend with a scoreless draw at Belmont. In the two games this preseason against Kentucky and Belmont, NKU has neither scored a goal nor given one up. The Bearcats have been firing on all cylinders in the preseason with a 5-1 win over Cincinnati State and a 4-1 victory over Evansville.
"They fact they have scored nine goals in exhibitions and we haven't scored any means we are going to have to defend," said Basalyga. "It's all about making proper adjustments and finding the right pace to the game. We just have to play collectively offensively and defensively."
The match will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29 at the NKU Soccer Stadium. The first 300 NKU students that attend will receive a free gold bandana as part of the "Gold Rush" promotion for the game. All NKU fans are encouraged to wear gold to support the Norse.
Live stats and video links will be available on nkunorse.com, and be sure to follow @NKUNorseGameDay on Twitter for live action updates as the contest unfolds. While on social media, follow NKUNorseMSOC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for news and behind the scenes looks throughout the season.
