HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky women's soccer team (8-1-1, 7-0-1 Horizon League) used exquisite passing all game long to create an offensive explosion, defeating No. 4-seeded UIC (5-3-1), 3-0, on Sunday at NKU Soccer Stadium in the Horizon League Championship semifinal. The win propels the Norse to their second Horizon League title-game appearance.
 
"It was a terrific start," said head coach Bob Sheehan. We're really happy for Kiley, she's worked so hard and for her to have her first goal at NKU as the game-winner in the Horizon League semifinal is pretty special. I thought we defended really well and that has been one of our identities all year. We continue to grow on that identity and we didn't allow a shot in that first half. We only allowed one corner kick; they're really good on corners and we set a goal to minimize those."
NKU SCORING SUMMARY

• Kiley Keehan netted the game-winner just five minutes and change into the match. Kailey Ivins and Lindsey Meyer assisted the play.
• Meyer dished again, this time to Ivins, in the 74th minute for the second goal.
• Wilmes made it a blowout, getting assisting passes from Ivins and Madelyn Koewler, in the 79th minute.

BETWEEN THE POSTS

• Mimi Stines played the first 85:19 of the match between the posts, facing three-on target shots.
• Mickayla Kowalski wrapped up the match at goal, making two saves.

 
MATCH SUMMARY
 

• The Norse came out with fantastic energy and were aggressive, finding their first goal in the sixth minute. Ivins tapped a pass backward to Meyer in the infield, who dished up to Keehan in the penalty area. Keehan juked the keeper and blasted a shot with an open goal in front of her.
• Wypasek had another great opportunity down the middle for NKU in the 19th minute, but it was snagged by UIC's keeper.
• At the break, NKU led, 1-0, with the story outside of Keehan's goal being the Norse defense, who held the Flames without a shot in the first half.
• The Flames were more aggressive out of intermission finding chances on goal, but NKU stepped on the gas pedal even harder. Twice the Norse put the ball into the box in the 57th and 60th minutes, respectively, but nothing came of the opportunities.
• Meyer had an incredible shot turn into a heartbreaker in the 71st minute at the top of the penalty area, hitting the bottom of the crossbar with the trajectory just barely missing inside the goal.
• In the tail-end of the 74th minute, Meyer played a ball all the way up from the midfield to the top of the nearside and smacked a ball back to Ivins in the middle, who pelted a straight-shot down the middle for the second goal of the afternoon.
• To ice the game in the 79th minute, Koewler delivered a perfect ball from the far side of the midfield to Ivins in the final third. Ivins found Wilmes deep in the penalty area, and Wilmes hammered a shot to the left, which bounced off the woodwork and into the back of the net.

 
NORSE NOTES
 

• NKU posts its sixth-consecutive shutout victory with the win, the most of the Division I era and the most since registering eight in a row from Oct. 20-Nov. 13, 1999.
• Meyer's pair of assists make it 10 on her career. Despite being a forward, the All-Horizon League second-teamer has been a dominant force slashing up the midfield this season, notching a team-high eight assists.
• Keehan's goal is the first of her career.
• Ivins grabs the 10th goal of her career.
• Koewler's assist is the second of her career and the first since a 4-0 win over Lipscomb on Aug. 22, 2019.
• Stines' GAA moves down to a smothering 0.30, which would be a single-season school record if the season ended today. Her save percentage of .914 would also be a school record.
   

UP NEXT
 

• NKU will now prepare for the Horizon League Championship match against No. 2-seeded Milwaukee on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., at NKU Soccer Stadium. The match will air on ESPN+.