VALPARAISO, Ind. – In its first overtime match since Sept. 2014, the Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team defeated Valparaiso, 3-2, on a golden goal from senior
Kelsey Laumann in the 101st minute to remain undefeated in Horizon League play at 4-0.
NKU's overall record improves to 8-3 with the victory. Valparaiso, the defending Horizon League champion, slips to 4-5-3 overall and 2-2-1 in the League.
With the match locked in a 2-all tie in double overtime, sophomore forward
Macy Hamblin found Laumann inside the box. Hamblin fired an assist from the left sideline, setting Laumann up for a header from four yards out that sailed over the head of Valpo goalkeeper Sydney Galvez-Daley.
"It was a very exciting match for us. I'd really like compliment our midfielders,
Morgan Shafer and
Katelyn Newton. They were phenomenal," head coach
Bob Sheehan said. "Our back line,
Maria Silbersack,
Kelsey Zwergel and
Taylor Spaulding also played outstanding games and I really credit those players for being tough and strong with the ball. They played at a very high level."
NKU recovered from a slow start to take the victory. Before the Norse defense had a chance to settle in, Valparaiso's April Cronin capitalized on the first shot attempt of the game when she scored her sixth goal of the season for a 1-0 Crusader lead at the 1:08 mark.
The goal went unanswered throughout the remainder of the first half. The teams returned to the field in the second period and waged a back-and-forth battle.
The Norse stunned Valpo with a pair of goals within a minute and a half span beginning with a goal from
Hanna Pateryn in the 59th minute. Pateryn netted the equalizer after intercepting a failed clearance attempt at the top of the box.
Sophomore forward
Jessica Frey then scored her fifth goal of the season in the 61st minute for a brief 2-1 Norse lead that lasted until Valpo's Morgan Manzke knotted the game at 2-all in the 65th minute to send the game into overtime.
Overall, goalkeeper
Brooke Schocker posted five total saves in 100:45 minutes of action. Valparaiso out-shot the Norse 15-
12, while NKU edged the Crusaders in shots on goal, 9-7.
Northern Kentucky returns to action on Wednesday, Oct. 17 when they host Horizon League rival Wright State at NKU Soccer Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and will air on ESPN3.
NORSE NOTES:- The match is just the second Horizon League loss the Crusaders have suffered dating back to Oct. 2013.
- Pateryn has now scored the game-tying goal in back-to-back matches. She joins Frey, Hamblin, Morgan Shafer and Katelyn Newton who each have two goals in Horizon League play this season.
- Northern Kentucky has scored 11 goals against its four Horizon League opponents.
- With four conference victories, NKU has set a new Division I program record for most conference wins in a single season. The Norse have five League matches left on the 2015 schedule.
