HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The No. 3 seeded Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team is set to take on the No. 2 seed Detroit Mercy on Thursday, Nov. 3 in the Horizon League Championship semifinals at Engelmann Stadium in Milwaukee. The 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT kickoff will air on ESPN3.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for kids. All students of Horizon League member institutions are admitted free with a valid student ID.

The Norse advanced to the semifinal round after defeating Wright State at home, 1-0, on a game-winning goal from Jessica Frey on Monday in the opening round. The shutout was NKU's eighth of the season. Sophomore goalkeeper Emily Lohmann posted her fifth solo shutout after scooping up five saves.

Tournament information including the full bracket and schedule can be found at the Horizon League women's soccer Championship Central.
 
Horizon League Championship Semifinals
(3) Northern Kentucky Norse (11-6-1, 6-2-1) vs. (2) Detroit Mercy Titans (10-6-2, 6-1-2)
Thursday, Nov. 3 - 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT
Milwaukee, Wis. - Engelmann Stadium
Live Stats | ESPN3
 
REGULAR-SEASON RECAP: Northern Kentucky closed the regular season with a 2-1 loss to Valparaiso to move to 6-2-1 in the Horizon League, the same League record the Norse posted last season. NKU's successful campaign started off with three-straight nonconference losses before NKU went on to shut out five of its next six opponents. Friday's loss against Valpo was NKU's only loss in the month of October, as they dropped just one of their last seven regular-season matches and tied another – against Detroit Mercy.

TWO-TIME PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Junior forward Macy Hamblin was named the Horizon League Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season. She leads the Horizon League in multiple offensive categories and has posted a new NKU Division-I program record for points in each of her three seasons. Hamblin has 24 points this season on a team-best eight assists and is tied with Jessica Frey with a team-leading eight goals. She is joined on the All-Horizon League First Team by Frey, a junior forward. Senior midfielder Katelyn Newton was named Second-Team All-Horizon League while Ally Perkins was selected to the All-Freshman team.

SERIES HISTORY: NKU is 2-0-1 all-time against the Titans. In the last meeting, less than two weeks ago on Oct. 22, the teams battled to a 1-1 draw in double-overtime at NKU Soccer Stadium. Both goals came in the first half with NKU striking in the 29th minute on a goal from freshman Shawna Zaken. NKU's 1-0 lead lasted until the 36th minute when Detroit's Suzie Redick found the equalizer.

NKU defeated Detroit, 1-0, in the first meeting in 2014 and earned a 3-1 win last season in Detroit.

NORSE IN THE POSTSEASON: NKU has advanced to its third-straight semifinal round of its conference tournament. Last season, NKU earned the No. 3 seed and hosted a HL Quarterfinal match where it defeated No. 6 seed Cleveland State, 1-0, to advance to the semifinals in Milwaukee. The Norse suffered a penalty kick loss to eventual champion Oakland in the semifinals after battling to a scoreless draw. In 2014 - NKU's first season eligible for a DI conference tournament - the Norse fell to eventual champion Florida Gulf Coast, 3-1, in the semifinals after defeating North Florida, 2-0.

This season marks the first time NKU is NCAA Division I Tournament eligible since being granted active Division I status on Aug. 9. The last time NKU won a conference tournament was in 2009 when the Norse earned their seventh Great Lakes Valley Conference title and advanced to their 11th NCAA DII Tournament.

HEAD COACH BOB SHEEHAN: Twentieth-year head coach Bob Sheehan has led the squad to its second-straight season with double-digit wins. He is the only head women's soccer coach in NKU program history and has led the program to a 295-93-26 overall record, including a 43-40-8 record in five years at the Division I level. He has also guided the Norse to a 12-4-2 all-time Horizon League record in its two seasons as a member.

NORSE NOTES:

• Four of NKU's six losses have been determined by one goal. The Norse have not lost a match by more than one goal since Aug. 25, the third game of the season, when NKU fell 2-0 at Eastern Kentucky.
• The Norse have scored first in 13 of their 18 matches this season. They are 10-2-1 when they score first.
• Lohmann, a sophomore goalkeeper, posted her fifth solo shutout of the season in Monday's quarterfinal win over Wright State. The win was also her ninth of the season, putting her in a four-way tie for 10th all-time in single season wins. With the shutout, her goals-against average dipped below one goal per game to 0.94 per game.
• NKU has out-scored League opponents, 20-8. The Norse average 2.00 goals per League contest while their foes post 0.80 goals per game.
• Seven of Hamblin's team-high eight goals have come in road matches, while just one of her eight assists have come on opponents' turf.
• Three freshmen have posted at least one point this season. All-Freshman team selection Ally Perkins (eight points) and Shawna Zaken (five points) are fourth and fifth on the team in total points. Freshman Emily Soltes also has one point while freshman defender Hannah Fischer has started all of NKU's 18 matches.

UP NEXT: With a win, NKU will advance to the Horizon League Championship finals on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT. They will take on the winner of the No. 1 seed Milwaukee/No. 4 seed Oakland match in Milwaukee.