KENOSHA, Wis. - Kristen Votapek and Amy Martini each scored goals as the Northern Kentucky University women’s soccer team defeated Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, 2-0, in the semifinals of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament on Friday.
Katie Hanck and Jayme Light assisted the goals as the third-seeded Norse (15-3-1) knocked off second-seeded SIUE (13-6). Senior goalie Lauren Piening recorded the shutout for NKU, which advanced to the GLVC championship game for the seventh straight year and avenged an early-season 2-0 loss to SIUE.
Votapek opened the scoring 11 minutes into the second half when she took a pass from Hanck and beat SIUE goalie Kim Roady for a 1-0 NKU lead. Martini sealed the win for the Norse five minutes later with her fourth goal of the season off an assist from Light.
NKU will meet top-seeded University of Wisconsin-Parkside (16-1) for the GLVC title on Sunday. Wisconsin-Parkside defeated Bellarmine University in Friday’s other semifinal.
NKU, which has won five of the last six GLVC championships, is now 17-0-1 all-time in the GLVC Tournament. A year ago, Wisconsin-Parkside ended NKU’s five-year reign as GLVC Tournament champion by edging the Norse in a penalty-kick shootout.
NKU is currently ranked third in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region poll. The top four teams in those rankings will advance to the NCAA Division II Tournament.
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Kristen Votapek |