FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Daniel Bermingham made a save on penalty kick and Jesse Randall provided the only goal necessary as Northern Kentucky picked up a 1-0 Horizon League over Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday night. NKU moves to 3-3-0 on the season (1-1-0 Horizon League), while PFW slides to 2-4-1 (0-2-0 HL).
 
Riddle Quote
"There are no easy games in college soccer and good teams find ways to win in difficult conditions on the road. Often it takes a moment of attacking brilliance and we had with Jesse's world-class free kick, coupled with resilient defending."
 
Scoring

• Randall made Purdue Fort Wayne pay for a foul and subsequent yellow card that came in the 52'. Randall took the free kick from just over 20-yards out and along the left side of the box. He beat the PFW keeper near post with a well-curled ball.

 
Between the Posts

• Bermingham (3-3-0) racked up six saves, five of which came in the first half and included a stop on a penalty kick from the Mastodons.
• Erik Josson (2-4-0) suffered the loss. He made two saves and allowed NKU's second-half goal.

 
Match Summary

• The first shot of the match came from the Mastodons' Vukasin Bulatovic late in the second minute.
• PFW fired consecutive shots just seconds apart in the 4'. Keith Larson's shot was blocked and Ayrton Redmore put the rebound off the left post.
• Dylan Bufton fired NKU's first shot in the 16^th minute, but the attempt went well high.
• Bermingham came up huge for NKU in the 20^th, stopping a penalty kick from Larson with a diving block. He also smothered the rebound attempt.
• Randall's 23^rd minute shot was blocked.
• Redmore got a head on a corner kick from the Mastodons but sent it wide.
• The Norse threatened twice within a minute. First, Andrés Zaffino redirected a header just wide left and Bufton forced Josson to make a save with a shot to the lower right.
• Randall threatened in the 37^th minute, but he pushed the ball slightly too far ahead and Josson cleared it away.
• Randall forced Josson to make another save a minute later.
• Bermingham was on point with a late first-half save on Luke Benford's shot.
• NKU was on the attack early in the second courtesy of Deryn Armstrong, who put his shot out high.
• Following a yellow card on the Mastodon's deep in the Norse offensive third, Randall curled his attempt in for the 1-0 Norse lead.
• Bermingham went up high to pluck an attempt from Bulatovic in the 53^rd.
• NKU had another opportunity in the 68^th. After earning a free kick, Ryan Godding played a ball into the right side of the box that the Norse got two heads on to play it  across the front of the goal before Ben Hegge sent a volley high.
• Purdue Fort Wayne nearly equalized on a header by Ayrton, but he missed high.
• With just over two minutes remaining, Alejandro Lopez sent a hard-angled shot wide right.
• Bermingham came off his line to punch away a long ball lobbed into the box with one minute left.  

 
Norse Notes

• NKU attempted six first-half shots, placing two on goal. PFW took 10 shots and put five on frame.
• The second half saw a similar feel. PFW outshot the Norse, 7-3, but was only able to put one on goal.
• Randall's goal is his team-leading sixth of the season.
• This marks the second-time this season that Bermingham has registered six saves. He previously did it in the season-opener against UNC Asheville.

 
Next Up
Northern Kentucky stays in-state and takes on Louisville on Tuesday, Sept. 21.