Kristen Votapek

WILDER, Ky. - The first-place showdown between Northern Kentucky University and Southern Illinois at Edwardsville was all but decided by halftime Friday.

NKU scored two goals in the first 14 minutes of the game and coasted to a 3-0 win over SIUE at the Town & Country Sports Complex. Alex Armstrong and Kristen Votapek each netted goals in the opening 14 minutes for NKU, which won its eighth straight game and improved to 12-2 overall, 9-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

The Norse also took a major step in securing the No. 1 seed in the upcoming GLVC Tournament and earning the right to host that event. SIUE (12-4 overall, 8-2 GLVC) entered Friday’s contest tied with NKU for first place in the GLVC.

Armstrong began the scoring just five minutes into the game when she chased down a nice lead pass from Katie Hanck and drilled a 16-yard shot into the back of the net. It was the fifth goal of the season for Armstrong, a freshman and a graduate of Anderson High School.

Votapek extended NKU’s advantage to 2-0 at the 14:06 mark when her corner kick from the right side eluded SIUE goalie Kaci Backs and drifted into the goal. The goal was the 12th of the season for Votapek, who leads the GLVC in scoring with 34 total points.

NKU controlled field position most of the second half and added an insurance goal at the 83:31 mark when Jeanna Goettelman’s corner kick slipped past Backs into the left side of the net. It was the fourth goal of the season for Goettelman.

Sam Westerling recorded the shutout and had two saves for NKU, which is ranked 13th nationally in the latest NCAA Division II poll. The Norse are also No. 1 in the latest NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region rankings, which were released Wednesday.

If NKU remains No. 1 in the Great Lakes Region, the Norse will play host to the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament Nov. 11-13.

NKU now owns a 44-1-4 record against GLVC opponents at the Town & Country Sports Complex since moving its home games to the Wilder facility in 1998. The Norse’s only loss to a GLVC team at the Town & Country Sports Complex came on Oct. 3, 1998, when SIUE posted a 1-0 victory over NKU.

NKU will play host to Quincy at noon Sunday in the regular-season home finale. The five Norse seniors - Votapek, Westerling, Hanck, Amy Martini and Ashley McGuffey - will be recognized at halftime of Sunday’s game.

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