Nov. 14, 2001

NORSE SEEK TRIP TO FINAL FOUR

NKU (21-1) to meet Truman State (18-2) this Saturday at 1 p.m.

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s soccer team will travel to Kirksville, Mo., to meet Truman State University (18-2) at 1 p.m. this Saturday (Nov. 17) in the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals. NKU (21-1) earned the trip to the Elite Eight by defeating Mercyhurst (Pa.) College, 2-1, in the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament on Sunday. It marked the third consecutive season that NKU has defeated Mercyhurst in the NCAA Division II Tournament. Betsy Moore and Stephanie Sandfoss scored first-half goals to lead the Norse. Tricia Ruark and Robyn Withers assisted the two goals as third-seeded NKU won the NCAA II Great Lakes Region title with a victory over top-seeded Mercyhurst (15-3-1). The Norse took a 1-0 lead at the 30:39 mark when Sandfoss beat Mercyhurst goalie Meghan Frey for a goal that was assisted by Ruark. NKU extended the lead to 2-0 at the 43:30 mark when Moore tallied her 16th goal of the season off an assist from Withers. Mercyhurst cut the lead to 2-1 with 10 minutes remaining in regulation, but the Norse defense toughened and shut down the Lakers the remainder of the match. ANOTHER FINAL FOUR?: The NKU/Truman State winner will advance to the NCAA Division II Final Four Nov. 30-Dec. 2, at a location to be determined. NKU is seeking its third straight trip to the NCAA Division II Final Four. THE SERIES AGAINST TSU: NKU owns a 3-0 lead against Truman State in the all-time series. A year ago, NKU posted a 3-2 win over Truman State in a match played at Kirksville, Mo. In that match last season, Bessie Black broke a 2-2 tie with a goal midway through the second half to give the Norse the victory. NKU took a 2-0 halftime lead as Tricia Ruark and Amanda Trout both scored goals, but Truman State rallied to tie the match at 2-2 early in the second half as Molly Adams and Nicole Thorpe scored. The score remained tied until the 65:48 mark, when Black beat Truman State goalie Emily Huyck for a goal to give the Norse a 3-2 lead. In 1999, NKU posted a 1-0 win over Truman State in a match played at Indianapolis, Ind. In 1998, the Norse defeated the Bulldogs, 2-0, at Highland Heights, Ky. MOORE’S GOALS: NKU senior forward Betsy Moore, the 2001 Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year, has scored three goals during the Norse’s two NCAA Tournament wins. She tallied a pair of goals last week during a 4-0 victory at Ashland University, and she added another goal last Sunday in the 2-1 win at Mercyhurst. Moore has scored 68 career goals, the most in Norse history. She has 16 goals this season. SEEKING A SCHOOL RECORD FOR WINS: NKU needs one victory to tie the school record of 22 wins, which was set in 1999. This is the third consecutive season that the Norse have won at least 20 games.