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INDIANAPOLIS - It took two overtimes and penalty kicks to decide it, but Indianapolis advanced to the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament semifinals after playing to a scoreless tie with Northern Kentucky University on Sunday. After 110 minutes of action could not determine a winner, the game was decided by a penalty-kick shootout. Indianapolis prevailed by a 5-4 score in the shootout, eliminating NKU from the GLVC Tournament and ending the Norse’s seven-year streak of NCAA Division II Tournament appearances. Going into Sunday, NKU had never been eliminated in the first round of the GLVC Tournament. The Norse won GLVC Tournament titles in 1998, ’99, 2000, ’01, 02 and ’05. NKU also advanced to the championship game in 2003 and ’04. Caryn Nieman gave Indianapolis a 5-4 lead in the shootout by finding the back of the net with a kick. NKU had a final chance, but Hope Zinser's shot sailed high over the crossbar and Indianapolis (14-4-1) advanced to the GLVC semifinals. NKU (13-4-1) had several chances in regulation and overtime, but the Norse could not find the back of the net. In the closing seconds of the first half, NKU's Brandi Doss squirted free on a breakaway, but Indianapolis goalie Abby Tracy was there to stop the shot from point-blank range. The contest went to sudden-death overtime, and NKU had two excellent chances at winning in the extra minutes. Jayme Light broke free six minutes into the overtime, but Tracy stopped the shot to keep the contest scoreless. Later in overtime, a shot by Light went past Tracy, but Melissa Sherman raced down the ball headed for the back of the net, controlled it and cleared it just shy of the goal line. Sherman’s play allowed Indianapolis to survive overtime and force the shootout. Earlier this season, Indianapolis posted a 2-1 win over NKU at Wilder, Ky. BOX SCORE |
