HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky women's soccer team plays host to Morehead State on Monday for the home opener at 7 p.m. at NKU Soccer Stadium. The match is set to air on ESPN3.
Northern Kentucky Norse (0-3-0) vs. Morehead State Eagles (1-1-0)
Monday, Aug. 29 – 7 p.m.
Highland Heights, Ky. – NKU Soccer Stadium
Live stats |
ESPN3
LAST TIME OUT: The Norse last saw action on Thursday, Aug. 25, when they fell to Eastern Kentucky, 2-0.
Jessica Frey launched four shots, three of which were on target while goalkeeper
Emily Lohmann picked up seven saves in her full 90 minutes of action.
Sam Davis and
Payton Naylor also posted shots on goal. EKU netted goals in the 24th and 69th minutes for the win.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES: Morehead State is 1-1 after dropping a 2-0 decision at Illinois in the season opener and defeating Bowling Green, 2-1, last Thursday. Ashley Ritchie has netted both of MSU's goals, while Angela Black and Abby Timm each have an assist. Ritchie has a team-high seven shots, four on goal for a .571 shot on goal percentage. Michelle Washburn and Eva Ýr Helgadóttir have split time in goal with Washburn earning a start against Illinois where she made 11 saves. Ýr Helgadóttir posted six saves in her 90 minutes of action against Bowling Green.
Last season, the Eagles posted a 9-11-2 record, including a 5-4-1 Ohio Valley Conference record. Abby Timm is the leading returning scorer after scoring nine goals and totaling 22 points last season. MSU scored 33 goals across 22 games last year for an average of 1.50 per game, while opponents averaged 1.64 per game.
SERIES HISTORY: Northern Kentucky has never lost to Morehead State as the Norse are 3-0-1 against the Eagles all-time. The last meeting came on Aug. 24, 2014, when NKU played MSU to a 1-1 draw at NKU Soccer Stadium after
Macy Hamblin scored a goal on an assist from
Aubrey Muench.
The first meeting between the two squads came in NKU's second year as a program when the Norse defeated the Eagles, 2-0, at home on Sept. 30, 1998.
EARLY STAT LEADERS: Hamblin scored NKU's lone goal this season when she netted a header in the season opener at Appalachian State. The goal was the junior's 15th of her career. She leads the squad with two points, seven shots and three shots on goal. Freshman
Ally Perkins has the team's lone assist while
Jessica Frey has been efficient early, launching six shots, five of which were on goal for a .833 shot on goal percentage. Lohmann, NKU's goalkeeper, and defender
Taylor Spaulding have each played all 270 minutes of action so far this season.
ESPN3 BROADCASTS: All of NKU's home matches are set to air on ESPN3 this year, including Horizon League matches against defending regular-season champion Milwaukee (Sept. 24) and defending tournament champion Oakland (Sept. 28), in addition to Youngstown State (Oct. 8), Detroit (Oct. 22) and Valparaiso (Oct. 28). Each of NKU's fall sports will air seven games apiece on ESPN3 this season.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE: Following the home opener, the Norse hit the road for a string of four away matches that includes the Horizon League opener. NKU travels to Toledo on Sept. 2, then travels across the Ohio River to take on crosstown foe Xavier on Sept. 6. The road swing concludes with matches at Vanderbilt on Sept. 11, for the first match against an SEC opponent in program history, and a match at HL foe Green Bay on Sept. 16. The Norse then return home for four of their next five matches.
