HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team (3-4, 0-0 HL) begins their quest for a Horizon League title with a road trip to IUPUI (5-2-1, 0-0 HL) on Friday. The matchup is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. and will be broadcasted on ESPN+.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY at IUPU
Friday, Sept. 20 – 11:00 a.m. – Indianapolis, Indiana – ESPN+
SERIES HISTORY
NKU leads the series 2-1-1. The Norse defeated the Jaguars, 1-0, in their last matchup on October 6, 2018.
LAST TIME OUT
The Norse ended their nonconference schedule with a 4-0 loss to Xavier on Thursday night. The Musketeers scored a trio of goals in three and a half minutes as the game reached its conclusion. NKU had just one shot in the affair as Xavier dominated possession for much of the night and placed 13 shots on goal.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
IUPUI is already off to a great start in comparison to its 2018 campaign. The Jaguars are 5-2-1 this season, winning four of their last five games. Valentine Pursey leads IUPUI with four goals with Maya Lacognato not far behind at three. The Jaguars are averaging 15.6 shots and 7.3 shots on goal per game. They had two nonconference opponents in common with the Norse, defeating Eastern Kentucky, 1-0, and falling to Butler, 4-1.
SCINTILLATING STINES
Mimi Stines has had a phenomenal start to her first season as a Norse. The Dayton transfer made her collegiate debut at goalkeeper in NKU's season opener at Lipscomb, where she took home a clean sheet in the 4-0 victory. She currently has 45 saves on the year through seven games, which is second the Horizon League and is 18th-best in the country.
ZAKEN LEADS THE WAY
Shawna Zaken picked up right where she left off her junior season. After leading the Norse a year ago with six goals, she has five, netting one goal at Lipscomb, two against Murray State and another pair at Eastern Kentucky.
PRESEASON FAVORITE? NO PROBLEM.
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.
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.
A YEAR AGO
The Norse finished their 2018 campaign with a 10-6-1 overall and 6-2-1 record in the Horizon League. NKU sported a 7-1 record when leading at the half and averaged 1.35 goals per match. Shawna Zaken led the Norse with six goals and five assists, followed by the now-graduated Samantha Duwel's five goals and five assists. Emily Lohmann, who has since graduated, started every match at goalkeeper for the Norse, making 60 saves for an 0.811 save percentage and a 0.91 goals against average.
HEAD COACH BOB SHEEHAN
Bob Sheehan is in his 23rd season at the helm of the NKU women's soccer team. He sports a 319-109-29 all-time record. His teams are 24-7-5 in Horizon League regular-season play.
