Jayme Light celebrates a goal Sunday

WILDER, Ky. - Jayme Light scored a goal and added an assist as the Northern Kentucky University women’s soccer team posted a 4-1 win over Wisconsin-Parkside at the Town & Country Sports Complex on Sunday.

Kristen Votapek, Alex Armstrong and Catie Walton also tallied goals for the Norse, who improved to 7-2 overall, 5-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. NKU controlled the field most of the game to knock off the two-time defending GLVC champion Rangers (6-3, 3-2 GLVC).

Votapek started the scoring in the 21st minute by taking a pass from Light and finishing for her sixth goal of the season. The Norse held an 8-1 advantage in shot attempts during the first half and took a 1-0 lead into the break.

Armstrong made it 2-0 at the 55:24 mark by chipping a 20-yard shot past Wisconsin-Parkside goalie Erica Higuchi - who had come out to challenge on the play - into the back of the open net. Light sealed the win by finishing off a rebound shot of her own miss at the 70:21 mark to give NKU a 3-0 advantage.

After Wisconsin-Parkside’s Kelsey Johnson scored a goal to cut NKU’s lead to 3-1 at the 81:54 mark, Walton blasted a 35-yard shot into the top right corner of the net to cap the scoring. It was Walton’s first career goal with the Norse.

NKU, which is ranked 23rd nationally in the NCAA Division II poll, finished with a 17-7 edge in shot attempts and a 9-7 advantage in corner kicks. The Norse now lead the all-time series with the Rangers by an 8-2-2 margin.

A year ago, NKU and Wisconsin-Parkside split two games. The Norse won the regular-season contest, 2-0, and the Rangers defeated NKU, 1-0, in the GLVC Tournament championship game.

The Norse will play a non-conference game at 4 p.m. Friday at Findlay. NKU resumes GLVC action next Sunday when Bellarmine visits the Town & Country Sports Complex for a noon contest.

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