HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team (4-6, 1-2 HL) heads on the road to take on Youngstown State (3-8-1, 1-2 HL) on Sunday afternoon.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY at YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Sunday, Oct. 6 – 1:00 p.m. – Youngstown, Ohio – ESPN3
SERIES HISTORY
NKU leads the series 6-0. The Norse defeated the Penguins, 2-0, in their last matchup on September 22, 2018.
LAST TIME OUT
NKU fell to Wright State, 3-1, after a pair of goals by the Raiders in the final ten minutes on Wednesday night. In the 29th minute, Shawna Zaken scored the only Norse goal in the contest with assists from Megan Sullivan and Ally Perkins. Wright State followed that up with three unanswered-goals in the 33rd, 81st and 87th minutes.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Youngstown State snapped four-game losing streak on Wednesday when they defeated Cleveland State, 1-0. The Penguins currently have a 3-8-1 overall and a 1-2 Horizon League record this season. Marcella Sizer leads the team with four of the Penguins' nine goals this season. Kate McEachern has started in eight of the last 10 games at keeper for the Penguins and has a 2.02 GAA.
ZAKEN LEADS THE WAY
Zaken picked up right where she left off her junior season. After leading the Norse a year ago with six goals, she has surpassed that mark this season with seven. She has scored multiple goals in NKU's matchups against Eastern Kentucky and Murray State.
NONCONFERENCE BUZZ SAW
Despite going 3-4 in nonconference play, NKU knocked off two teams that are defending conference champions and preseason favorites to win their leagues. Lipscomb won the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship after a 15-5-2 season and Murray State won the Ohio Valley Conference Championship with a 13-5-1 record. NKU's nonconference opponents combined are currently 41-30-6 on the year.
THIS YEAR'S SQUAD
The Norse return 16 players from last year's team, including leading scorer Shawna Zaken, and welcome nine newcomers to the squad. Taylor Abbott, Annie Greene, Kiley Keehan, Jamie Lehker, Lindsey Meyer, Mimi Stines, Megan Sullivan, Shelby Wall and Kayla Wypasek are in their first seasons at NKU.
PRESEASON POLLING
Northern Kentucky was picked to finish second in the Horizon League preseason poll, receiving 79 points. Four-time defending Horizon League champion Milwaukee was picked to win its fifth-consecutive championship this year, garnering 90 points and eight first-place votes.
HEAD COACH BOB SHEEHAN
Bob Sheehan is in his 23rd season at the helm of the NKU women's soccer team. He sports a 320-112-29 all-time record. His teams are 25-8-5 in Horizon League regular-season play.
