HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team picked up a 2-0 shutout win over Youngstown State on Saturday afternoon. NKU moves to 6-3 overall and 2-0 in the Horizon League. The Penguins fall to 1-8-2 and 0-2 in league play.
 
"We were very good again defensively today in allowing just three shots," said NKU head coach Bob Sheehan. "We played with a different attacking mentality in the second half, and that was the difference for us. Congratulations to Emily Soltes on the game-winning assist on Sam Duwel's back post header goal. Emily also scored an important late goal off a terrific pass from Shawna Zaken. Overall, we are pleased to earn three points in Horizon League play."
 
NKU SCORING SUMMARY

• Duwel put NKU ahead 1-0 in the 49^th minute. Soltes played a cross from the left side into the box, and Duwel headed the ball into the lower right corner of the net.
• Soltes added to the lead in the 87^th minute. A ball played up the field by Chloe Mills found Shawna Zaken, and she slipped a pass through the YSU defense to Soltes, who put her shot past the goalkeeper.

 
BETWEEN THE POSTS

• Emily Lohmann and the NKU defense earned their fourth shutout of the season. Lohmann faced three shots and made one save.

 
FIRST HALF SUMMARY

• Duwel took a shot for the Norse in the fourth minute. Her attempt was on frame and nearly slipped away from the YSU goalkeeper, but she was able to recover and make the save to keep NKU off of the scoreboard in the early minutes.
• Duwel had another shot on goal in the 10^th minute, but the YSU goalkeeper stopped the shot.
• Zaken had an opportunity to score in the 28^th minute, but her shot was high of the mark.
• In the 29^th minute, Erin Sutton played a cross into the box to Duwel, but her header attempt went to the right of the goal.
• Duwel found some space in the 33^rd minute, but her shot was just high of the frame.
• After a corner kick was played into the box by the Norse in the 44^th minute, Kailey Ivins fired a shot, but her attempt went over the crossbar.
• The Norse had a 7-0 shot advantage in the period and took two corner kicks, compared to one for YSU.

 
SECOND HALF SUMMARY

• Duwel gave the Norse a 1-0 lead in the 49^th minute.
• In the 54^th minute, Duwel made a nice move to spin around a defender in the box, but her shot was saved by the YSU goalkeeper.
• In the 60^th minute, YSU's Lauren Dolak recorded two shots. Dolak's first shot was blocked by the NKU defense, and Lohmann made an easy save on the second attempt.
• Soltes played a cross into the box in the 65^th minute, but Duwel's powerful header was right at the YSU goalkeeper.
• YSU looked to score in the 74^th minute, but the Penguins were called offside.
• In the 77^th minute, Payton Naylor fired a shot from outside the box, but her attempt was high of the goal.
• Ally Perkins played a ball to Zaken in the 83^rd minute, Zaken had an open look at goal, but the YSU goalkeeper made a nice save on the play. 
• Soltes put the Norse ahead 2-0 in the 87^th minute.

 
MATCH NOTES

• NKU had a 16-3 shot advantage.
• The Norse had four corner kicks, and YSU recorded three.
• Duwel's goal was her second of the season, and Soltes recorded her fourth.
• NKU earned its fourth shutout of the season.

 
UP NEXT

• The Norse travel to Wright State on Wednesday, Sept. 26. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Dayton, Ohio, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN+.