HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky women's soccer team will host Cleveland State on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN3. Before the match, NKU's seniors will be recognized.
Northern Kentucky Norse (9-4-1, 6-0-1) vs. Cleveland State Vikings (8-8-0, 4-3-0)
Saturday, Oct. 21 – 7 p.m.
Highland Heights, Ky. – NKU Soccer Stadium
LAST TIME OUT: The Norse earned a 3-0 win at Oakland on Wednesday evening. Sam Duwel gave NKU the lead in the 13
th minute on a volley attempt.
Macy Hamblin doubled the lead in the 29
th minute. With three defenders closing in, she hit her shot off of the left post and into the back of the net.
Ally Perkins scored the final goal of the contest in the 65
th minute. A ball played into the box found Perkins, and she tapped in from close range to give the Norse the 3-0 advantage. The NKU defense held Oakland to just two shots in the match, while
Emily Lohmann and
Jennifer Farwell helped NKU record its third shutout of the season.
SCOUTING CLEVELAND STATE: The Vikings enter the match at 8-8-0 on the season and 4-3-0 in League play. Cleveland State is averaging 1.62 goals per contest, while allowing them at an average of 1.31. The Vikings have four players who have scored four or more goals this year. Jenna Prathapa leads the team with six goals and three assist for 15 points. In the net, Jamie Daniels has started all 16 contests for the team. She has made 58 saves on the year for a 0.724 save percentage.
TAKING A LOOK AT THE STATS: NKU is 9-4-1 overall and 6-0-1 in the Horizon League. The team is unbeaten in the last eight matches, and NKU is at the top of the Horizon League standings with two matches to play. The Norse are averaging 2.07 goals per match, while allowing 1.07 goals per contest.
Jessica Frey and
Macy Hamblin lead the team offensively. Frey has 10 goals and three assists, and Hamblin has contributed nine goals and three assists.
Payton Naylor leads the team with six assists, and
Ally Perkins has two goals and five assists on the year. In the net,
Emily Lohmann has started 13 contests for the Norse. She has a 0.92 goals against average and a 0.821 save percentage on the season.
HORIZON LEAGUE HONORS: Jessica Frey was tabbed the Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, Oct. 2. Frey helped the Norse win two League matches during the week. She scored the game-winning goal in the 75
th minute in a 1-0 win over Wright State. She followed that up with a goal against Detroit Mercy just 28 seconds into the match to help NKU to a 2-1 victory.
On Oct. 9,
Emily Lohmann earned the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week honor. She recorded a career-high 11 saves in the 1-1 draw at Milwaukee to help the Norse stay unbeaten in Horizon League play.
UPDATED HORIZON LEAGUE STANDINGS: With two matches to play, the Norse lead the Horizon League standings. The top six teams in the standings at the end of the regular season will qualify for the Horizon League Tournament.
- Northern Kentucky – 6-0-1 (19)
- IUPUI – 6-1-0 (18)
- Milwaukee – 5-0-2 (17)
- Wright State – 4-3-0 (12)
- Cleveland State – 4-3-0 (12)
- UIC – 4-3-0 (12)
- Oakland – 2-5-0 (6)
- Green Bay – 1-5-1 (4)
- Detroit Mercy – 1-6-0 (3)
- Youngstown State – 0-7-0 (0)
SENIOR CLASS AWARD: Earlier this season,
Jessica Frey was selected as one of 30 candidates for the 2017 Senior CLASS Award. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character, and competition.
As a nursing major, Frey maintains a 3.746 GPA. Upon graduation in the spring, Frey plans to work in a critical care unit at a children's hospital. She also hopes to advance in her field by becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). Because of her excellence in the classroom, she has been named to the 2015 and 2016 Horizon League All-Academic Teams, as well as the 2015 COSIDA Academic All-District.
Frey is also very active in the community. She has volunteered at the Liberty Matrix Nursing Home and the St. Lawrence Catholic Church after school program. She has also participated in the Price Hill Summer Clean-Up, Down Syndrome Buddy Walk, and the "Pause for Parents, Play for Kids" program through the Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
HORIZON LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL: The Horizon League announced its women's soccer preseason poll for the 2017 campaign. NKU tied for first place in the poll with Milwaukee, as each team received 86 points and five first-place votes.
Detroit Mercy, Oakland, Wright State, UIC, IUPUI, Youngstown State, Cleveland State, and Green Bay rounded out the rest of the Horizon League preseason poll.
HEAD COACH BOB SHEEHAN: Sheehan is in his 21
st season as the head coach of the program. He is the only coach in the team's history and sports a 306-98-27 overall record. In Division I play, his teams are 54-45-9. Coach Sheehan picked up his 300
th career win in a 2-1 overtime victory against Appalachian State on Aug. 29.
Sheehan ranks in the top 40 all-time in winning percentage for women's soccer coaches in NCAA history across all divisions. He is also in the top 60 all-time in total victories for women's soccer coaches across all NCAA divisions.
A SUCCESSFUL YEAR: NKU finished the 2016 campaign with a 13-7-1 overall record and a 6-2-1 mark in Horizon League play. The Norse captured the Horizon League Tournament crown and advanced to play in the Division I NCAA Tournament last season for the first time in program history. NKU fell to No. 1 West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament by a score of 3-0.
Macy Hamblin earned Horizon League Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year honors for the second season in a row.
Jessica Frey joined Hamblin on the first team,
Katelyn Newton received Second Team All-Horizon League honors, and
Ally Perkins was named to the All-Freshman Team. Hamblin, Frey and Perkins all return to the team this season.
UP NEXT: The Norse travel to IUPUI on Friday, Oct. 27 for a match against the Jaguars. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
