HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team (7-8, 4-4 HORIZON) will square off with Detroit Mercy (2-12-2, 0-7-1 HORIZON) on Friday night. A win in the matchup will lock the Norse into the 2019 Horizon League tournament field and give NKU a shot at competing for an NCAA Tournament bid.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY at DETROIT MERCY
Friday, Nov. 1 – 7:00 p.m. – Detroit, Michigan – ESPN+
SERIES HISTORY
NKU leads the series, 5-0-1. The Norse defeated the Titans, 3-2, in double-overtime in their last matchup on September 30, 2018.
LAST TIME OUT
The Norse routed Green Bay, 5-1, in a crucial senior-day matchup on Sunday. Ally Perkins kicked the match off with goals in the 15th and 19th minutes for the first brace of her college career. Shawna Zaken, Chloe Mills and Lindsey Meyer then cushioned NKU's lead with scores in the 38th, 39th and 79th minutes, respectively. Mimi Stines played most of the match for NKU, collecting seven saves in the contest.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Detroit Mercy is 2-12-2 on the year and currently winless in Horizon League play. Hailey Wentzloff and Julie Ann Piechocki are the top goal-scorers for the Titans with two apiece. Cece Muskovac has spent the most time at keeper for Detroit Mercy, compiling a 1.94 GAA and a 0.703 save percentage. The Titans are allowing a .567 shots on goal percentage on the year and are giving up 1.88 goals a game.
FOUR-SEED STILL UP FOR GRABS
A win against Detroit Mercy will lock the Norse into the 2019 Horizon League Tournament. If they lose, they will need Cleveland State to lose or tie at Wright State.
The Norse still have a window to reach a four-seed and host a tournament game. NKU will need to win and have Oakland either lose or tie, as well as an IUPUI loss. This would create a tie at 15 points between the Norse and the Jaguars, where NKU owns the tiebreaker.
ZAKEN LEADS THE WAY
Zaken, a senior, leads NKU's offensive efforts this season. After scoring six goals last season for the Norse, she has surpassed that mark this year with nine. She has scored multiple goals in NKU's matchups against Eastern Kentucky and Murray State.
SAVE MACHINE
With one games remaining in the 2019 regular season, Mimi Stines has 78 saves on the year, which is tied for third-most by a Norse in a single season. Her 5.20 saves per game would be the most by a Norse ever if the season ended today. Despite playing just one season, she is tenth all-time in career saves.
NONCONFERENCE BUZZ SAW
Despite going 3-4 in nonconference play, NKU has 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 have a winning record and over 50-total wins on the year.
THIS YEAR'S SQUAD
The Norse return 16 players from last year's team, including leading scorer Zaken, and welcome nine newcomers to the squad. Taylor Abbott, Annie Greene, Kiley Keehan, Jamie Lehker, Meyer, 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. The Panthers have wrapped up the regular-season crown and will host the Horizon League Championship.
HEAD COACH BOB SHEEHAN
Bob Sheehan is in his 23rd season at the helm of the NKU women's soccer team. He sports a 323-114-29 all-time record. His teams are 26-11-5 in Horizon League regular-season play
