HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team squares off with UIC on Thursday evening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as part of the Horizon League semifinal. A win in the match will advance the Norse to the Horizon League championship match.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY vs. UIC
Thursday, Nov. 9 – 5:00 p.m. ET – Milwaukee, Wisconsin – ESPN+
SERIES HISTORY
NKU leads the series 4-1. The Norse fell to the Flames, 1-0, in an earlier matchup this season on September 28.
LAST TIME OUT
The Norse kept their season alive with a 3-1 win over Wright State in the Horizon League Quarterfinal on Monday night. Lindsey Meyer put the Norse up a score in the 23rd minute off of quick passes from Kailey Ivins and Hannah Fischer. The NKU advantage increased to two-nil when Ally Perkins squeezed a pass to a wide-open Shawna Zaken in the box, who threaded the needle for a goal in the 41st minute. With the score at 2-1 in the late minutes, Zaken iced the match with a perfectly placed shot 25 yards out that just made it above the goalie for the third goal.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
UIC is 11-5-1 on the year and is seeded second in the Horizon League tournament after finishing league play 7-2. Emily Valentine and Megan Bowman have been the main contributors for the Flames as of late. Bowman, a sophomore midfielder, is on a three-match streak of netting at least one goal. Lena Kurz continues to be the primary keeper for UIC, putting together a fantastic 0.54 GAA and 0.873 save percentage.
TOURNEY TIME
Should the Norse defeat two-seeded UIC on Thursday, they'll take on the winner of top-seeded Milwaukee and six-seeded Oakland on Saturday for the Horizon Leage title.
NKU fell to UIC earlier this season in a, 1-0, defensive battle. Emma Main pushed the Flames past the Norse in the 80th minute with a goal to seal the match in the closing minutes.
ZAKEN LEADS THE WAY
Senior Shawna Zaken, who was named Horizon League Player of the Year on Monday, leads NKU's offensive efforts this season. After scoring six goals last season for the Norse, she has surpassed that mark this season with 13. She has scored multiple goals in NKU's matchups against Eastern Kentucky, Murray State, Detroit Mercy and Wright State.
THE FUTURE IS NOW
She may be a freshman, but she sure isn't playing like one lately. Lindsey Meyer has contributed three goals in the last four matches and is adding nicely to the senior combo of Zaken and Ally Perkins. Meyer, who was plucked from NKU's backyard of Fort Thomas, Kentucky, also has two assists on the year.
SAVE MACHINE
With two games remaining in the 2019 regular season, Mimi Stines has 86 saves on the year, which is second-most by a Norse in a single season. Her 5.05 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 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 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.
HEAD COACH BOB SHEEHAN
Bob Sheehan is in his 23rd season at the helm of the NKU women's soccer team. He sports a 325-114-29 all-time record. His teams are 28-11-5 in Horizon League regular-season play.
