DAYTON, Ohio- The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team (4-3-0, 1-0 Horizon League) defeated Wright State University (6-2-0, 1-1 Horizon League), 1-0, in double-overtime on a Golden Goal by
Diego Martinez, Tuesday. The win was the program's first-ever conference win in the Horizon League.
"Tonight they went out and worked, they have to work," head coach
John Basalyga said. "When we work we can take teams out of their game. I told them all week long don't lose two in a row and don't go on the field and not work. We beat a very good Wright State team on their field, it's a good win for our program still being very young in Division I."
Martinez got the unassisted game winner in the 108
th minute. Matinez took the ball across midfield then briefly got tangled up with a defender, the sophomore then spun and worked his way to the top of the box where he fired a shot beating the keeper straight away.
Goalkeeper
A.J. Fleak recorded his fourth shutout of the season, finishing the match with eight saves on 22 shots faced. Fleak came up big in the second half and both overtimes to keep the Norse alive. In the second half, Fleak notched four saves, including two times where he charged out of the goal in a one-on-one to clear the ball and keep the Raiders off of the board. In the first overtime, Fleak hauled in one save, fending off a shot by Wright State's Peguy Ngatcha.
NKU finished the match taking 10 shots with three on goal and taking three corner kicks. Wright State finished the match taking 22 shots with eight on goal and 15 corner kicks. Wright State goal keeper Tyler Blackmer finished the match with two saves.
Northern Kentucky returns to action on Saturday in a Horizon League tilt at Detroit with kickoff slated for 1 p.m. For more information on the men's soccer program and all Norse athletics please visit
NKUNorse.com. You can also get updates on the team throughout the season by following @NKUNorseMSOC on Facebook and Twitter.
Norse Notes- This is NKU's second-straight year to battle the Raiders to an overtime victory. Last season the Norse defeated Wright State in overtime ,4-3, on September 23, 2014 at the NKU Soccer Complex. This was the Norse's second double-overtime match of the season. NKU is now 3-8-0 all-time against the Raiders.
- Senior NKU goalkeeper A.J. Fleak now has 14 shutouts in his career as a Norse.
- Diego Martinez's goal was his first of the season. Martinez last notched a Golden Goal in NKU's 1-0 double-overtime win over Stetson on November 1, 2014.
