HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Reigning Horizon League Regular-Season Champion Northern Kentucky begins the 2021 league slate and its title defense with a home match against Robert Morris on Saturday, Sept. 11. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m., at NKU Soccer Stadium
 
Match Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (2-2 Overall, 0-0 Horizon League)
Robert Morris University Colonials (0-3 Overall, 0-0 Horizon League)
Saturday, Sept. 11 – 7:00 p.m. (ET)
Highland Heights, Ky. | NKU Soccer Complex (1,000)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Stats: Live Stats
 
Scoring Points
• NKU is coming off of an offensive explosion against VMI, as the Norse won 8-1.
• NKU's eight goals against VMI are the most scored this year by a DI team against another DI opponent. The team's nine assists and 25 total points are also the highest single-match totals in the nation.
• Thanks to the outburst, NKU now ranks in the top-10 nationally in eight different categories: total goals (3rd,14), total assists (3rd, 14), assists per game (4th, 3.50), shots on goal per game (4th, 8.50), total points (4th, 42), scoring offense (5th, 3.50), points per game (6th, 10.50) and goal differential (6th, 8).
• NKU opens Horizon League play against Robert Morris on Saturday.
• NKU is 2-0 all-time against RMU, claiming a 2-0 win last season.
• NKU is the reigning Horizon League regular-season champion, winning the league with a 7-1 record versus conference opposition and going 7-2 overall. The title marked the first DI-era championship for the Norse.
• The Norse were picked to finish fourth in this year's #HLMSOC Preseason Poll.
• NKU was also the Horizon League Championship runner-up.
• NKU sported one of the stingiest defenses in the country last year, ranking 13th in save percent (.837) and 23rd in goals against average (.748).
• The Norse received their first ever national ranking as a DI program 2020, checking in at No. 24 in Top Drawer Soccer's April 6 ranking. They moved up to No. 23 on April 13 in the TDS poll, but jumped into the United Soccer Coaches rankings at No. 22 that same week, setting the new DI highwater mark for ranking.
• GK Daniel Bermingham is the reigning #HLMSOC Goalkeeper of the Year.
• Bermingham ranked 16th in the country in save percentage (.837) and 33rd in goals against average (0.748) in 2020. He already has 14 saves this year, which ranks 38th.
• F Jesse Randall and F Dylan Bufton, a 2020 all-Horizon League First Team honoree, both scored hat tricks against VMI. The duo leads the country in total goals (5) and total points (11).
• Bufton also leads the nation in goals per game (1.67) and points per game (3.67), while Randall ranks 6th (1.25) and 7th (2.75), respectively.
• Near the end of the 2020 campaign, Top Drawer Soccer named Bufton No. 91 on its National Top-100 list. D/M Roberto Burlew checked in at No. 97 on the publication's Freshman Top 100.
• Burlew added a goal and an assist against the Keydets, marking the first goal and assist of his Norse career.
• M Ryan Godding, who as an all-league second team honoree in 2020, has been setting the table with three assists already. His 0.75 assists per game ranks 22nd in the nation.
• F Sam Robinson has a goal and assist to his credit so far this year. He was second on the team in scoring with eight points and second with two goals while also distributing a team-high four assists last year. He has one goal and one assist so far this season.
• Newcomer M Craig Wellens scored the first goal of his Norse career against Centre and followed with a pair of assists in the win against VMI.
• F Brodie Sallows scored the final Norse goal against VMI.