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WILDER, Ky. - They were picked to finish sixth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason poll, and many probably doubted they would even qualify for the league's eight-team tournament after a home loss to Indianapolis on Sept. 1. Instead, the Norse of Northern Kentucky University finished second in the GLVC regular-season standings, tied a school record by winning 16 games and captured their first-ever NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region championship. But NKU's eventful, unexpected journey in the NCAA Division II Tournament ended Sunday afternoon, just one victory shy of the Final Four. Lincoln Memorial halted NKU's postseason run with a 2-1 victory over the Norse in the national quarterfinals at the Town & Country Sports Complex. The 16th-ranked Railsplitters improved to 15-1-3 and advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four at Pensacola, Fla., where they will meet Fort Lewis on Nov. 16. NKU finished the season with a 16-3-3 record. The 14th-ranked Norse entered Sunday's national quarterfinal contest with a 14-game unbeaten streak (12-0-2) and had not lost since Sept. 15. Ironically enough, all three of NKU losses this season came at home. The Norse dominated statistically but found the back of the net just once. NKU finished with a 16-5 advantage in shots, including a 6-2 edge in shots on goal. The Norse also owned a 7-1 advantage in corner kicks. Leandro Pereira gave Lincoln Memorial a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute of play with his 20th goal of the season, a 6-yard shot from the right side. The Railsplitters still held that 1-0 advantage at halftime.
NKU drew even at the 60:17 mark when freshman Braden Bishop scored his 12th goal of the season with a 3-yard shot that was assisted by Chris Thompson and Tony Ray. The Norse had several other opportunities, but Lincoln Memorial goalie Brent Cole made four of his five saves in the second half. It remained tied until the 87:10 mark, when Leonardo de Barros chipped in a shot over NKU goalie Andy Ortman. Pereira dribbled into the box and fed de Barros on the left side. Ortman came out to defend, but de Barros found the back of the net with his low-angle shot. In the closing seconds, Thompson found himself open from about 20 yards on the left side, but his shot was wide and high, and Lincoln Memorial ended NKU's unbeaten streak at 14. It marked the second straight season Lincoln Memorial defeated NKU by a goal at the Town & Country Sports Complex. A year ago, the Railsplitters took a 3-2 overtime decision from the Norse in Wilder. NKU, which had never appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament before this season, outscored opponents 42-11 going into the national quarterfinals. NKU won the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region men's soccer championship last Saturday night with a 3-2 overtime victory over two-time defending champion Southern Illinois at Edwardsville. The Norse opened the NCAA Division II Tournament by routing Wisconsin-Parkside, 4-0, at Edwardsville, Ill.
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