Nov. 25, 2001

NKU TO MEET UC SAN DIEGO IN FINAL FOUR

Norse (22-1) to play defending NCAA II champions this Friday night

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s soccer team will face defending NCAA Division II national champion University of California at San Diego at 10:30 p.m. this Friday (Nov. 30) in the NCAA Division II Final Four, which will be played at San Diego, Calif. The NCAA Division II national championship match is scheduled for 4 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, Dec. 2. NKU, now 22-1, will meet UC San Diego (19-2) in a rematch of last season’s national championship contest. UC San Diego edged the Norse, 2-1, on a goal with 15 seconds remaining in regulation. NKU is making its third straight trip to the NCAA Division II Final Four. Last season, NKU defeated Barry (Fla.) University, 5-1, in the national semifinals at Miami Shores, Fla. Two years ago, the Norse dropped a 2-0 decision to eventual national champion Franklin Pierce in the NCAA Division II Final Four at Miami Shores, Fla. NKU’S ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR: NKU defeated Ashland University, 4-0, in the first round of the NCAA Division II Tournament on Nov. 7 at Ashland, Ohio. Betsy Moore scored a pair of goals to lead the Norse in that match. In the Great Lakes Region final on Nov. 11, NKU posted a 2-1 win over top-seeded Mercyhurst (Pa.) College at Erie, Pa. Moore and Stephanie Sandfoss scored first-half goals as NKU defeated Mercyhurst for the third straight year in the NCAA Tournament. On Nov. 17, at Kirksville, Mo., the Norse defeated Truman State University, 2-0, in the national quarterfinals. Moore scored a pair of first-half goals for NKU, and goalie Megan Zalla picked up the shutout and had eight saves. SCHOOL RECORD: NKU has scored 116 goals this season, surpassing last year’s total of 88 as the all-time best in Norse history. Bessie Black leads the Norse with 20 goals, and Betsy Moore has 18 goals. Tricia Ruark has added 15 goals, while Jeanna Martin has 12 goals. CLUTCH SCORER: NKU’s Betsy Moore, a two-time first team All-American, has scored five goals during the Norse’s NCAA Tournament run. Moore, a senior forward, is NKU’s all-time career leader in goals scored (70) and the school’s all-time leading scorer with 188 points. Moore was named Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year this season, the second time in her career that she has earned that honor. ONE FOR THE RECORD: If NKU defeats UC San Diego, it will establish a school record for wins (23) in a season. This is NKU’s third straight season of winning at least 20 matches. ALL-GLVC: Six NKU women's soccer players - Amanda Trout, Tricia Ruark, Lori Kevill, Jeanna Martin, Betsy Moore and Bessie Black - were named first team All-GLVC this season. The Norse’s Eva Broeg earned second team All-GLVC honors. TOUGH DEFENSE: The NKU defense has recorded 15 shutouts this season and has allowed just one goal (to Mercyhurst) in three NCAA Tournament matches en route to the Final Four. Amanda Trout, Eva Broeg, Becky Schnieders and Robyn Withers have anchored the defense this season. Goalie Megan Zalla has played outstanding during the NCAA Tournament, and she picked up eight saves while posting the shutout against Truman State in the national quarterfinals. ASSIST TO RUARK: NKU senior midfielder Tricia Ruark leads NKU with 21 assists entering the Final Four. Ruark is the Norse's all-time career leader with 61 assists. LAST YEAR AGAINST UC SAN DIEGO: Cindy Dostalek scored a goal with 15 seconds remaining in regulation Saturday afternoon to give UC San Diego a 2-1 victory over NKU in the NCAA Division II national championship match. Dostalek’s goal snapped a 1-1 tie and gave UC San Diego a 2-1 lead with just 15 seconds remaining. NKU finished the season with a 21-2-2 record, and UC San Diego completed the season with a 20-2 record. NKU took a 1-0 lead early in the second half on a goal by Denise Kunz that was assisted by Tricia Ruark and Betsy Moore, but UC San Diego tied the score at 1-1 when Laura Dooly scored at the 66:15 mark. IN THE NATIONAL SEMIFINALS A YEAR AGO: Amanda Trout and Tricia Ruark both scored a goal and had an assist as NKU defeated Barry (Fla.) University, 5-1, in the NCAA Division II Final Four at Miami Shores, Fla. Barry, which entered the national semifinal unbeaten (18-0) and ranked No. 1 nationally in Division II, took a 1-0 lead in the first half on a goal by Jenny Nilsson. NKU, however, tied the match at 1-1 just before halftime on a goal by Adrienne Cavender. The Norse totally controlled the second half and scored four unanswered goals. Trout, Ruark, Betsy Moore and Jeanna Martin all had goals for NKU in the second half. ABOUT THE HEAD COACH: Bob Sheehan is in his fifth year as the women’s soccer head coach at Northern Kentucky University. Sheehan owns a career record of 88-20-5 in five seasons with the Norse. Sheehan started the NKU women’s soccer program in 1997. Prior to that, it was a club sport at NKU. He has led NKU to four straight GLVC championships and three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division II Final Four. Prior to taking the NKU job, Sheehan spent 13 years as head coach at St. Ursula Academy in Cincinnati and built one of Ohio’s top prep powerhouses in girls' soccer. Sheehan, who owned a career record of 195-48-28 at St. Ursula, won a pair of state championships (1991 and 1993), and his teams compiled a record of 106-8-13 during his last six years.