HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team returns home on Saturday to face Detroit Mercy in Horizon League action. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at NKU Soccer Stadium, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
 
 
NORTHERN KENTUCKY vs. DETROIT MERCY
Saturday, Oct. 13 – 7 p.m. – NKU Soccer Stadium – ESPN3 – Live Stats  
 
SERIES HISTORY
NKU leads the series 2-1-1. In the last meeting, Norse defeated the Titans 1-0 on Oct. 28, 2017.
 
LAST TIME OUT
NKU fell at Oakland on Saturday afternoon by a final score of 3-1. Alex Willis scored for the Norse right at the 50^th minute.
 
TAKING A LOOK AT THE STATS
The Norse are 8-4 on the season and 1-3 in the Horizon League. NKU is averaging 2.25 goals per match and allowing an average of 1.50 goals per contest. The Norse are 6-0 when scoring at least three goals in a match. The team is tied for ninth in the NCAA in scoring offense. Alex Willis is third in the nation in total points and goals with 30 and 12, respectively. Alex Greive still leads the NCAA in total assists with 11. Senior goalkeeper Jim Barkei has started eight contests and has a 6-2 record this season. He has made 28 saves for a 0.700 save percentage and a 1.58 goals against average.
 
ALEX WILLIS AND ALEX GREIVE EARN NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Sophomore midfielder Alex Greive was named to the Top Drawer Soccer and College Soccer News National Team of the Week for his play from Sept. 10-16. He also earned Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week honors. Greive recorded an assist on all five goals that NKU scored. The Norse went 2-0 with wins over Evansville and previously unbeaten Green Bay. Greive had three assists in the 3-0 win over Evansville on Tuesday, Sept. 11. He followed that up with two assists in the 2-1 win over Green Bay on Saturday, Sept. 15. Green Bay had a 4-0-1 record entering the match. Greive's second assist against Green Bay occurred with 1:17 left in the match to help the Norse get the victory.
 
Freshman forward Alex Willis earned national recognition for his play from Aug. 27-Sept. 2. Willis was named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week, and he also earned United Soccer Coaches Player of the Week honors for NCAA Division I. In addition to his national awards, Willis was named the Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week.
 
Willis helped the Norse to a 3-2 victory over preseason Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) favorite Canisius on Monday, Aug. 27. He scored two goals and recorded an assist in the match against the Golden Griffins. Willis followed that up with two goals against Duquesne on Friday, Aug. 31 in NKU's 2-1 win. Despite the Norse playing with nine men starting late in the second half, Willis scored the game-winner in the 96^th minute to lift NKU to victory. Willis followed that performance with a goal and two assists on Sunday, Sept. 2 to help the Norse defeat Robert Morris 3-2.
 
SECOND SEASON
Head coach Stu Riddle is in his second season leading the program, and it is his 10^th season as a head coach. He has an overall record of 76-78-25. Assistant coach Blair Stevenson and volunteer assistant coach Roger Lane are also in their second years at NKU, while assistant coach Sam Brooks is in his first season on the Norse coaching staff.
 
TAKING A LOOK AT THE SQUAD
The Norse return 14 players from last year's team and add nine newcomers to the fold for 2018. Rikard Lindqvist and Tom Suchecki are back in 2018, and each had four goals and two assists last season. Wes Collins, Justin Earle, Ed Harvey, Will Hunt, Stian Jørgensen, Sam Mason, Connor Probert, Sam Slocum, and Alex Willis will begin their first season at NKU.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Detroit Mercy is 1-10-2 on the year and 0-4-1 in the Horizon League. The team most recently fell to No. 16 Michigan by a final score of 5-0. The Titans are averaging just 0.69 goals per match and allow 2.23 goals per contest. Ben Al-Gharabally leads the team with two goals. James Solomon and Demetri Pliakos have each added a goal and an assist. Devin Mendez has made eight starts at goalkeeper for the Titans. He has made 35 saves on the year and has a 0.614 save percentage and a 2.19 goals against average.