HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team (5-10-1, 2-5 HORIZON) plays its final nonconference matchup of the season on Friday night when it hosts Bradley (5-5-4, 4-3-2 MVC).
NORTHERN KENTUCKY vs. BRADLEY
Friday, Nov. 1 – 7:00 p.m. – NKU Soccer Stadium
SERIES HISTORY
Bradley leads the series, 1-0. The Norse lost to the Braves, 1-0, in their only matchup on September 29, 2012.
LAST TIME OUT
NKU snapped a five-game skid on Tuesday night with a 3-1 win over Purdue Fort Wayne. The Norse had a whopping 32 shot attempts in the match and placed 17 of them on goal, both of which are season-highs for NKU. Connor Probert put the Norse on the scoreboard in the 27th minute thanks to assists through a breakaway from Abdul Kooistra and Alex Willis. Alex Greive pushed the Norse to the three-goal mark with scores in the 41st and 84th minutes for his third multi-goal match of the year.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Bradley is 5-5-4 on the year and sports a stingy defense that allows less than a goal per game. Keeper Nathan Wisbey has started all but one match and has compiled a 0.78 GAA. The Braves' best goal-scorer on the roster is junior Gerit Wintermeyer, who has four on the year. Bradley is 3-0-1 when he sends a shot into the net. The Braves have had two common opponents this season with the Norse, defeating IUPUI, 1-0, and tying Oakland, 2-2.
MAKING THE OTHER TEAMS GREIVE
Alex Greive is on a roll as the Norse close out the 2019 slate. The junior currently leads the team with 13 goals, eight of which came in a three-match span against arguably the best two teams in the Horizon League and Berea. His hat-trick effort against UIC garnered him Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week honors on October 7. He has scored a goal in seven of the last nine matches.
BRINGING DOWN LAST YEAR'S GOLIATHS
A season ago, Wright State won the Horizon League regular-season title and UIC won the Tournament. In back-to-back games, NKU defeated both teams by results of 2-1 and 3-2, respectively.
PRESEASON POLLING
Northern Kentucky was selected to finish sixth in this year's Horizon League preseason poll, receiving 46 points. Wright State, last year's regular season champion, topped the poll with 74 points and four first-place votes. UIC, which won the Horizon League Tournament a year ago, was the clear second choice, garnering 69 points and the remaining five first-place votes.
A YEAR AGO
NKU finished its 2018 campaign with a 10-7 overall and 3-5 record in the Horizon League. The Norse showed off a capable offense, scoring 2.18 goals a game thanks much in part to returning leading scorer Willis, who finished the year with 16 goals. Greive and Probert, who also return, put up five goals apiece. Jim Barkei led NKU between the posts for much of the season, playing in 12 games, accumulating 45 saves and donning an 8-4 record.
TAKING A LOOK AT THE SQUAD
The Norse return 13 players from last year's team and add 11 newcomers to the fold for 2019. Brendan Auguste, Daniel Bermingham, Gianni Bouzoukis, Gino Geiser, Ryan Godding, Maan, Samuel Nwosu, Mahamud Osman, Josiah Pokopac, Sallows and Ali Zohar are all in their first season at NKU.
RIDDLE ME THIS
Head coach Stu Riddle is in his third season leading the program, and it is his 11th season as a head coach. He has an overall record of 83-91-26. Since his hiring, NKU has seen steady improvement, with last year's 10-7 campaign being the most wins in the program's Division I era.
