HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – A pair of first-half goals propelled the Northern Kentucky men's soccer team to a 2-1 victory over visiting Fort Wayne at the NKU Soccer Stadium on Thursday night. With the win, the Norse improve to 2-1-0 on the season, while the Mastodons slide to 1-1-1.

"I thought we were excellent tonight against a very good opponent," said head coach Stu Riddle. "We needed a response from the lads after our last showing, and we were well deserving of the victory tonight."

NKU SCORING SUMMARY

• Tom Suchecki put the Norse on the board courtesy of a penalty kick after the Mastodons were whistled for a foul in the box. Suchecki drove the ball to the lower left, while Fort Wayne keeper Will Hathaway dove right.
• Rikard Lindqvist tallied NKU's second goal of the opening stanza when he collected a pass from Calvin Murphy, broke free and beat the goalie to the top left from 10-yards out.

BETWEEN THE POSTS

• Jim Barkei played all 90 minutes for the Norse, thwarting three shots and only allowing the goal on Fort Wayne's penalty kick.
• Barkei's record moves to 2-1-0 on the year.

FIRST HALF SUMMARY

• Suchecki wasted little time in putting NKU ahead, converting his penalty kick in the sixth minute.
• Harvey Moyes nearly gave Northern Kentucky its second goal midway through the half, but his shot from the right side of the box caromed off the left post.
• However, Lindqvist found the back of the net in the 37^th minute to establish a 2-0 lead for NKU.
• Northern Kentucky had one final opportunity, but Suchecki's attempt went wide left.

SECOND HALF SUMMARY

• Coming out of intermission, the Norse were the aggressors early, putting up four shots in the first 15 minutes, three of which just missed finding pay dirt.
• Fort Wayne got on the scoreboard in the 64^th-minute. The Norse were called for a handball in the box and Keelan Barker struck to the right side of the netting to cut Northern Kentucky's lead to 2-1.
• Liam Evans nearly put NKU back out in front by two, but his attempt in the 71^st minute found the cross bar.
• Northern Kentucky continued applying pressure and withstood late pressure from Fort Wayne to close out its second win of the season.

GAME NOTES

• Both teams fired 15 shots on the night, with NKU putting three attempts on frame and Fort Wayne sending four on target.
• Suchecki led all players with shot attempts.
• Lindqvist's goal was his fourth of the season, a total which leads Northern Kentucky.

UP NEXT
Northern Kentucky returns to the pitch on Tuesday, Sept. 5, when it heads to Eastern Illinois.