Oct. 3, 2000

NKU TO BATTLE USI, SIUE FOR 1ST PLACE

Norse to host Southern Indiana on Friday night

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s soccer team, now 10-1 overall and ranked No. 4 nationally in the Division II poll, will play host to the University of Southern Indiana at 8 p.m. this Friday night at the Town & Country Sports Complex in Wilder. NKU enters that match with a 5-0 record in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, and Southern Indiana has a 9-1 overall record, including 5-0 in the GLVC. Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, now 10-3 overall, is 6-0 in the GLVC and will visit NKU at 3 p.m. on Sunday for a match at the Town & Country Sports Complex in Wilder. If NKU can defeat both Southern Indiana and SIUE this weekend, it will take over sole possession of first place in the GLVC standings. The regular-season winner of the GLVC will earn the right to host the GLVC Tournament semifinals and finals in November. NKU has won nine consecutive matches entering Friday’s contest. The Norse are also ranked No. 1 in the NCAA II Central Region ratings. NKU is led in scoring by junior midfielder Tricia Ruark, who has six goals and 11 assists. Ruark had two goals and a pair of assists in the Norse’s 7-0 win over Bellarmine last Friday night. Junior forward Betsy Moore has scored seven goals and added three assists for the Norse, and sophomore midfielder has scored six goals. Junior forward Jeanna Martin has four goals and three assists. AGAINST USI: NKU has beaten Southern Indiana in the GLVC Tournament the past two years, but the Norse are 0-3 all-time against the Lady Eagles during the regular season. NKU is 0-2 against Southern Indiana in matches played at Evansville, and the Norse lost their only regular-season home meeting against the Lady Eagles in 1998. Southern Indiana leads the all-time series, 3-2. AGAINST SIUE: NKU has defeated SIUE the past two years in the GLVC Tournament, but the Norse are 0-3 against the Cougars in regular-season contests. A year ago, NKU dropped a 3-1 decision against SIUE in a regular-season match played at Edwardsville, Ill. The Norse, however, posted a 2-0 win over SIUE in the championship match of the GLVC Tournament at Edwardsville, Ill. SIUE leads the all-time series with NKU, 3-2.