Game NotesHIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team is preparing for a double-feature this weekend with a game at Western Michigan on Friday, Sept. 26 and a home match against Western Illinois in Sunday, Sept. 28.
The Norse are coming off of a big 4-3 overtime win against Wright State on Tuesday night, but their attention quickly shifted to the Broncos of Western Michigan. The Broncos are 4-3-1 overall, and they compete in one of college soccer's most difficult conference – the Mid-American Conference.
Western Michigan won the MAC regular season title and advanced to the MAC championship game last season after compiling a 9-9-1 overall record (4-1-1 in the MAC). They would eventually lose in the championship game to national powerhouse Akron, 4-1. The Norse and Broncos met last season on a neutral site in Charleston, Illinois, as part of the Eastern Illinois University 50 Years of Soccer Celebration tournament.
Caleb Eastham scored a late goal in the match to force overtime, but the Broncos prevailed in extra time with a 2-1 win.
"They are big, strong and aggressive," said head coach
John Basalyga. "They are a typical MAC school. It is good for us to play teams out of the MAC because they give us a good variety of different styles to go up against and it's challenging."
After returning home from Kalamazoo, Michigan, the Norse play host to Western Illinois on Sunday. The Leathernecks are off to a 3-4-1 start this season and are looking to build off of their long tradition of success under head coach Dr. Eric Johnson. Western Illinois qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2011 and 2012 and they were one game away from qualifying in 2013. They lost in the Summit League Championship to Denver, 1-0.
The Norse travelled to Macomb, Illinois, in 2012 to take on the Leathernecks during NKU's inaugural season in Division I. An NKU goal in the 86th minute proved to be the only different between the two sides as the Norse took home the 1-0 victory.
"They are another tough Summit League team," said Basalyga. "Every team on our schedule provides us with an opportunity to see different styles, and it helps our development going down the road. If we get enough exposure to all of the teams we are going up against, it helps us for when the transition is over."
The Norse may still be celebrating their comeback win over Wright State, but with two challenging matches ahead, Basalyga knows the importance of keeping things in perspective throughout the rest of the season. Each match this weekend will present its own challenges and the Wright State match can only be looked at through the rearview mirror.
"If I could explain momentum and how to get it, I would be making good money," said Basalyga. "I'd be on a worldwide speaking tour but, inevitably, it's always one play that sets your momentum off in one direction or the other."
Live stats for both contests will be available on nkunorse.com, and be sure to follow @NKUNorseGameDay on Twitter for live updates as the matches unfold. For a behind the scenes look at the team during the weekend's road trip and for the rest of the season, follow @NKUNorseMSOC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
