HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky women's soccer program played its most complete game of the 2024 campaign and the Norse were rewarded for their strong effort with a 2-1 win in a non-conference thriller over visiting Mercyhurst at the NKU Soccer Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky – 2, Mercyhurst – 1
LOCATION: NKU Soccer Stadium – Highland Heights, Kentucky
RECORDS: NKU: 1-4-0 (0-0-0 HL), MU: 0-5-0 (0-0-0 NEC)
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
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Caitlin Evans scored the first goal of her season and the first of her NKU career as the freshman posted the go-ahead tally in the 74th minute.
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Lydia Self added a goal of her own as she converted her penalty kick chance for what turned into the game-winning goal in the 87th minute.
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Greta Harmeyer and
Maria Wiefering assisted on Evan's marker for their first assist of the young season, respectively.
- In the victory, Northern Kentucky set a new season high in goals (two), assists (two), points (six), total shots (30) and corner kicks (14).
- The 30 attempted shots also tied for the second most in a match in NKU's NCAA Division I era and the most since the Norse posted a 36-shot performance against Cleveland State back on October 17, 2015.
- The 30 shots on target were the most recorded by a Horizon League team in a match so far this season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Northern Kentucky outplayed Mercyhurst by a wide margin in the first half as the Norse recorded 15 shots and nine corner kicks overall, compared to just three and one for the Lakers.
- The Norse were finally able to break through as Evans scored off a tik-tac-toe play from Harmeyer and Wiefering to make it a 1-0 match in the 74th minute.
- A little over 10 minutes later, NKU took advantage of a Laker foul in the box. Self walked up to the ball on her PK attempt and sent the Mercyhurst goalie flying to the left before tucking the ball into the top right corner to give the Norse a 2-0 advantage.
- Mercyhurst would answer right back in the 89th minute, but it was too little, too late as Northern Kentucky closed out the 2-1 victory.
NEXT UP
The Norse remain in Highland Heights for an in-state showdown with Eastern Kentucky on Thursday, September 5 at 7 PM ET inside the NKU Soccer Stadium. Like all home contests, admission to the match is free of charge!
FOLLOW NKU NORSE WOMEN'S SOCCER
Get in the game and follow Northern Kentucky's NCAA Division I women's soccer team through
@NKUNorseWSOC on Twitter,
@NKUNorseWSOC on Instagram,
nkunorsewsoc on Facebook and
subscribe to the NKU Norse Youtube channel.
