MURRAY, Ky. – Julie Mooney recorded a goal and an assist to help lead the Murray State University women's soccer team to a 4-1 victory over Northern Kentucky University on Sunday afternoon at Cutchin Field in nonconference action.
 
Mooney placed all three of her shot attempts on goal to lead the Murray State offense on the day, including a first-half goal.  Bronagh Kernis also attempted three shots for the Racers, as goalkeeper Shelby Haworth stood strong in the goal, making one save and giving up one score.
 
Murray State (4-5) jumped out a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute.  Pavlina Nepokojova headed the ball forward to Kernis, who just beat the NKU defense to the ball.  She dribbled the ball up the field and sent a shot through the right side of the net by Norse goalkeeper Brooke Schocker for her first goal of the season.
 
NKU (3-3-2) tied the game in the 30th minute by taking advantage of a Murray State defensive miscue.  Macy Hamblin cut off a pass, and Haworth slid to try to thwart Hamblin's attack, leaving the net wide open.  Hamblin gained control of the ball and took advantage of the opportunity for her fourth goal of the season.
 
The Racers wasted no time regaining their lead, however.  Just over two minutes later, Julie Mooney took a shot from just outside the penalty box, and it bounced off the left post into the lower right corner of the goal for a 2-1 Murray State advantage at the 31:43 mark.
 
A pair of second-half goals accounted for the final margin of the game.  Murray State stretched its lead to 3-1 in the 60th minute when Mooney crossed the ball into the penalty box to Taylor Richerson, who found the bottom right corner of the net for her first goal of the year.  Harriet Withers connected with the back of the goal eight minutes later to push the Racer advantage to the 4-1 final.

"The Murray State players won the individual battles today throughout the match, which is something we need to get better at," NKU head coach Bob Sheehan said.  "We need to get better at making the plays we need to make during the game.  We have worked hard on individual responsibilities and accountability, but we need to continue to develop and grow as a team because we are just not where we need to be right now."
 
Murray State finished with a 15-7 advantage in shot attempts and put eight of their chances on target.  NKU led in corner kicks taken, recording five to the Racers' three, but the Norse could only manage one shot attempt from their opportunities and it went high over the goal.
 
Hamblin led the NKU offense with two of the team's shot attempts, while Kelsey Laumann, Aubrey Muench, Kayte Osterfeld, Morgan Shafer and Maria Silbersack each took shots for the Norse as well.  Silbersack recorded the only other shot on goal for NKU.  Schocker made four saves on the day for the Norse to bring her season total to 22.
 
With the win, the all-time series between the two programs is even at 1-1-1.  NKU captured a 4-2 victory in Murray, Kentucky, in the first-ever meeting during the 2012 season, and the teams played to a scoreless draw at the NKU Soccer Stadium last season.
 
NKU travels to Florence, S.C., on Friday to face Francis Marion in its final tune up before the Norse begin Atlantic Sun Conference play two days later at South Carolina Upstate.  Friday's action is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m.  Links to live stats and the video broadcast will be available at NKUNorse.com.