HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky men's soccer (4-1) returns to NKU Soccer Stadium on Friday for a midday matchup with Green Bay (2-1-1) 
     
NORTHERN KENTUCKY vs. GREEN BAY
Friday, March 12 – 11:00 a.m. ET – Highland Heights, Ky.
   
Northern Kentucky Athletics is unable to accommodate general admission attendance. Only pass-list supporters will be allowed in attendance.
       
SERIES HISTORY     
Green Bay currently leads the series, 4-2. The Norse fell to the Phoenix in the last matchup, 3-2, on Oct. 19, 2019.  
     
LAST TIME OUT     
The Norse claimed a 2-0 shutout over IUPUI last week. A goal kick eventually found its way over to Ryan Godding in the fifth minute, who passed to Sam Robinson for the first goal of the afternoon. Dylan Bufton put some insurance on the win, converting a penalty kick in the 80th minute. Daniel Bermingham faced 13 shots and made a pair of saves to pickup his second shutout-victory of the season.  
  
SCOUTING GREEN BAY    
Green Bay is in black-and-gold territory with a 2-1-1 record, owning wins over Cleveland State and league-favorite UIC. Sophomore defender Ben Hughes leads the team with two goals on the 2020-21 campaign. Midfield Bernard Assibey Rhule also has a goal and a couple assists, while forward Villi Kaldal has a goal and an assist. Jamison Yoder has been strong to start the season at keeper, compiling a 0.90 GAA and a .750 save percentage.  
 
ATOP THE STANDINGS 
The win over IUPUI last week was especially crucial thanks to a pair of setbacks by UIC and Oakland, vaulting the Norse to first place in the Horizon League standings with 12 points. The Golden Grizzlies and the Flames are currently 3-1-2 and 3-1-1 in the standings, respectively, before a tight mid-pack of Cleveland State, Milwaukee, Green Bay and Wright State forms.   
  
YOU'RE NEW HERE? ME TOO! LET'S BE FRIENDS.    
It's a pair of newcomers that have led the Norse offense thus far. Dylan Bufton, a transfer from Tyler Junior College that had 14 goals in two years of action, had the lone goal in NKU's 1-0 win over Milwaukee on Feb. 10. He followed the performance with a goal and an assist in NKU's 2-1 win over Oakland on Feb. 22, as well as another goal against IUPUI on March 6. Robinson, who joins NKU this season after a freshman campaign at Cincinnati, gave NKU a 1-0 lead against Detroit Mercy before the Norse ultimately fell, 2-1 on Feb. 4, and netted the game-winner in the IUPUI matchup. Robinson also has a pair of assists on the season. 
 
REVENGE TOUR 
Three Horizon League opponents the Norse lost to a year ago have suffered losses to NKU this season, which may prove crucial in earning a spot in this season's Horizon League Tournament. NKU defeated Milwaukee, 1-0, on Feb. 10 (lost, 2-1, in 2019), Cleveland State, 2-1, on Feb. 28 (lost, 2-1, in 2019) and IUPUI, 2-0, on March 6 (lost, 2-1, in 2019).  
 
EVERY DAY IT GETS A LITTLE EASIER    
NKU began the season showing its improvements defensively. In the first five games of the 2019 season, the Norse gave up 68 shots, 23 shots on goal and eight goals. NKU has improved in all of those metrics in the first five games this season, allowing 59 shots, 18 shots on goal and four goals.  
 
UNFINISHED BUSINESS      
Three former Bearcats, all entering their sophomore campaigns after transferring in the offseason due to Cincinnati discontinuing its program, join the Norse with three years remaining in their respective soccer careers. Robinson, a forward, played in 16 games a year ago, logging 699 minutes and scoring his first-career goal versus Cleveland State on Oct. 9. Kyle Healy, a midfielder, also struck in a goal against Xavier on Sept. 6 to go along with an assist against Purdue Fort Wayne on Oct. 1. Finally, Ben Hegge, another midfielder, appeared in 11 games for the Bearcats, seeing the pitch for 294 minutes.      
 
HORIZON LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL       
Northern Kentucky was selected to finish eighth in the 2020-21 edition of the Horizon League preseason poll with 48 points. UIC and Oakland both claimed the top-spot with 109 points, but the Flames garnered eight first-place votes compared to Oakland's three. Wright State rounded out the top three in the poll with 88 points.        
   
A YEAR AGO       
The Norse finished 7-10-1 and 3-5 in the conference play in 2019. NKU began the season with a strong exhibition showing against No. 8 Kentucky, tying the Wildcats, 0-0. The Norse also took down both Wright State, the eventual Horizon League Tournament Champions, and UIC, the holder of the regular-season crown. On Oct. 9, the Norse reached the back of the net an impressive 11 times en route to shutting out Berea, tying Syracuse for the most goals in a single game in Division I on the season.        
            
NEW YEAR, NEW NORSE       
Along with Bufton, Healy, Hegge and Robinson, seven other Norse are new additions this season: Deryn Armstrong, Roberto Burlew, Trey Denigan, Tobias Karlsen, Daniel Kaufman, Cam Newton, Jesse Randall and Andrés Zaffino.     
       
RIDDLE ME THIS      
Following a 1-13-4 season in 2016, Stu Riddle was hired to lead NKU's men's soccer program and the Norse have been 28-24-5 in the last four years. Riddle led NKU to a 10-7 showing in 2018, which is the highest win-mark in NKU's Division I era. Riddle is an 11-year head-coaching veteran, owning an 89-92-26 record. He is joined by assistants Blair Stevenson (fourth season) and Sam Brooks (third season).