HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team (8-8, 5-4 HORIZON) takes on three-seeded Wright State (10-5-2, 5-4 HORIZON) Monday night for round one of the Horizon League tournament.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY at WRIGHT STATE
Monday, Nov. 3 – 7:00 p.m. – Dayton, Ohio – ESPN+
SERIES HISTORY
NKU leads the series 3-1-1. The Norse fell to the Raiders, 3-1, in an earlier matchup this season on October 2.
LAST TIME OUT
The Norse clinched a spot in the Horizon League tournament with a 2-0 shutout win over Detroit Mercy on Friday. Shawna Zaken had both goals for the Norse in the 82nd and 84th minutes, with the latter coming off a penalty-kick attempt. Mimi Stines made six saves to keep the Titans offense at bay for her fifth shutout-victory of the season.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Wright State is 10-5-2 on the year and finished Horizon League play with the same record as the Norse at 5-4. Destiny Johnson, Jordyne Helinski and Brittney Petrosky continue to be a dynamic scoring trio with nine, six and five goals on the year, respectively. Maddie Jewell has played every minute at keeper this season, compiling a GAA of 1.49 and a 0.729 save percentage. The Raiders are currently on a two-match losing streak after dropping games to IUPUI and Cleveland State.
TOURNEY TIME
NKU arrives in the Horizon League tournament as a five seed. Should it defeat No. 3 Wright State on Monday, Northern Kentucky faces either top-seeded Milwaukee or No. 2 UIC on Thursday night in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
NKU fell to Wright State earlier this season by a 3-1 margin. After the Norse gained a 1-0 advantage in the 29th minute thanks to Zaken, the Raiders equalized in the 33rd minute. Wright State then took and cushioned the lead with its final two goals in the last ten minutes of the match.
ZAKEN LEADS THE WAY
Senior Zaken leads NKU's offensive efforts this season. After scoring six goals last season for the Norse, she has surpassed that mark this season with 11. She has scored multiple goals in NKU's matchups against Eastern Kentucky, Murray State and Detroit Mercy.
SAVE MACHINE
With two games remaining in the 2019 regular season, Stines has 84 saves on the year, which is second-most by a Norse in a single season. Her 5.25 saves per game would be the most by a Norse ever if the season ended today. Despite playing just one season, she is eighth all-time in career saves.
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 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, Lindsey Meyer, Stines, Megan Sullivan, Shelby Wall and Kayla Wypasek are in their first seasons at NKU.
HEAD COACH BOB SHEEHAN
Bob Sheehan is in his 23rd season at the helm of the NKU women's soccer team. He sports a 324-114-29 all-time record. His teams are 28-11-5 in Horizon League regular-season play.
