Alex Armstrong is mobbed by teammates

WILDER, Ky. - Alex Armstrong’s goal in the second overtime gave the Northern Kentucky University women’s soccer team a 2-1 win over Quincy on Sunday at the Town & Country Sports Complex.

The winning play came after Kristen Votapek launched a corner kick from the right side of the field, and the loose ball was retrieved by Lauren Franzen on the left side of the box. Franzen played the ball to Armstrong in front of the goal, and the freshman finished by sending a shot past Quincy goalie Lindsay Ringkamp into the back of the net at the 101:43 mark.

It was the sixth goal of the season for Armstrong, a graduate of Anderson High School. Five of Armstrong’s goals have been game-winning scores.

Votapek and Franzen each recorded assists on the play for NKU, which extended its winning streak to nine games and improved to 13-2 overall, 10-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Norse can clinch the No. 1 seed in the upcoming GLVC Tournament with one victory in their final two games.

Despite finishing with a 19-4 advantage in shot attempts and a 9-1 edge in corner kicks, NKU could not shake Quincy (5-9-2, 2-7-2 GLVC) during regulation. Quincy played NKU to a scoreless first half, and the Lady Hawks took a 1-0 lead at the 56:34 mark when Rachel Poepsel blasted a 25-yard shot past Norse goalie Sam Westerling into the back of the net.

NKU, which missed on several good scoring opportunities in the second half, finally tied the game at 1-1 at the 67:53 mark when Votapek took a lead pass from Katie Hanck and finished with her GLVC-leading 13th goal. Hanck played a free kick into the box to set up Votapek, who chipped the ball into the net.

Kristen Votapek scores a goal Sunday

Ringkamp finished with 12 saves for Quincy, which is now 1-1-9 in the all-time series against NKU. The Lady Hawks have not beaten the Norse since 1997.

NKU 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. Grand Valley State - which was ranked No. 2 in the poll last week - dropped a 1-0 decision at Ashland on Sunday, strengthening NKU’s hold onto the top spot.

The Norse own a 45-1-4 record against GLVC opponents at the Town & Country Sports Complex since moving its home games to the Wilder facility in 1998.

NKU will play a road contest at Saint Joseph’s at 6 p.m. Friday. The Norse conclude the regular season next Sunday with a road game at Indianapolis.

NKU has clinched a home game in the first round of the GLVC Tournament, which begins Oct. 30. If the Norse claim the No. 1 seed, they will play host to the No. 8 seed on Oct. 30 at the Town & Country Sports Complex.

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