Northern Kentucky University Athletics

Week 3 Game Notes | Atlantic Sun Weekly Notes

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team looks to return to its winning ways on Friday as the Norse travel to IUPUI for the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
 
Kickoff from Michael A. Carroll Stadium is set for 6 p.m.  Links to live stats will be available at NKUNorse.com.  For updates during the game, follow @NKUNorseGameDay on Twitter as well.
 
NKU enters Friday's contest against the Jaguars at 1-1-1 on the season after dropping a 6-4 decision to IPFW on Sunday afternoon.  The Norse took a 2-1 lead into halftime on goals from Macy Hamblin and Katelyn Newton, but the Mastodons netted five second-half goals to lift them to the victory.  Elizabeth Wittwer and Morgan Shafer each scored their first collegiate goals for NKU on Sunday.
 
"As a team, we have to be more accountable and pay closer attention to every detail," NKU head coach Bob Sheehan said of Sunday's match.  "Every play counts, and we need to do a better job of being accountable for every play as it occurs on the field."
 
ABOUT IUPUI:  The Jaguars are 1-3-1 on the season after falling to Xavier, 2-0, on Tuesday night in Indianapolis.  IUPUI welcomed back nine starters this season after losing just two to graduation in 2013.
 
Alyssa Fox, Tori Minnich and Taylor Heidorn have collected the team's three goals this season.  Minnich led IUPUI last year in her first season with the Jaguars with nine points on four goals and one assist, while Fox and Heidorn each added two goals as well.
 
Goalkeepers Nicole Kulovitz and Catherine Schmidt have shared time in goal this season for IUPUI.  Schmidt leads the team with a 1-0-1 record and a 1.17 goals against average, while Kulovitz has recorded a team-leading 22 saves and a 1.88 GAA.
 
"IUPUI is a well-coached team, and they have an excellent program," Sheehan said.  "It will be another tough challenge for us.  Our goal in these nonconference games is to continue to grow, improve and evolve as a team so we can be ready when Atlantic Sun play starts."
 
AGAINST THE SUMMIT LEAGUE:  NKU is now 4-3 all-time against members of the Summit League after falling to IPFW on Sunday.  Despite the loss, the Norse still hold a 2-1 advantage in their series against the Mastodons and lead North Dakota State, 1-0.  NKU is 1-2 all-time against Nebraska-Omaha.
 
Sunday's matchup against IUPUI will be the first meeting between the two programs.  NKU was set to face the Jaguars during its spring season earlier this year, but the game was canceled due to inclement weather. 
 
AMONG THE TOP:  NKU sits among the top in the Atlantic Sun Conference in several categories.  As a team, the Norse lead the conference in assists with 10 and are second with nine total goals.  NKU is averaging three goals per contest, which tops the Atlantic Sun for that category as well.
 
A pair of individuals land in the top of the league standings as well.  Macy Hamblin ranks second in the Atlantic Sun with seven points on three goals, which ranks third, and one assist.  Kelsey Laumann's team-high three assists shares first place in the conference, and she is fourth in points with five.
 
Aubrey Muench is third with her two assists, while six players (Jaclyn Elmore, Ariel Fischer, Hamblin, Hanna Pateryn and Maria Silbersack) share fourth place in the Atlantic Sun in the same category with one assist each.
 
FRESHMEN IMPACT:  Seven freshmen have made immediate impacts for NKU this season.  Macy Hamblin and Hannah Dufresne have each started the first three games of the 2014 season for the Norse, while Jessica Frey, Kayte Osterfeld, Morgan Shafer, Madison Terry and Elizabeth Wittwer have appeared in every game as well.
 
"They've brought a tremendous work ethic to the program," Sheehan said of his freshmen.  "They've worked very, very hard, and they have dedicated, committed and very coachable as a unit.  Overall, we've been very pleased with them.
 
"With that said, they have now played three college games and we are still very young in certain spots.  We're going to go through some growing pains, but I think three games into the season, as a group, they have done a wonderful job."
 
Hamblin is second in the Atlantic Sun with seven points on a team-high three goals and one assist and has netted a goal in each game for NKU this season.  Frey scored her first collegiate goal in the season opener against Eastern Illinois on Aug. 22, and Shafer and Wittwer collected their first career goals against IPFW on Sunday.
 
UP NEXT: NKU returns to the NKU Soccer Stadium on Tuesday, Sept. 9 when the Norse welcome Xavier at 7 p.m.  It marks the second time the Musketeers have visited Highland Heights as Xavier opened the home portion of NKU's inaugural Division I schedule on Sept. 4, 2012, in front of a crowd of 1,210 fans. 
 
Fans are encouraged to break out their gold apparel on Tuesday as part of NKU's Gold Rush.  The first 100 students in attendance will receive free gold bandana, and it will also be student-athlete and jersey night, where kids will receive free admission when they come to the game wearing their soccer club uniform.