HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s soccer team will begin the season at 4:30 p.m. Friday against Saginaw Valley State University in the John Toebben Labor Day Weekend Classic at the Town & Country Sports Complex in Wilder, Ky.
NKU, ranked No. 3 nationally in the NCAA Division II preseason poll, will also meet the University of Findlay at noon on Sunday. The Norse are the preseason favorite in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, which they have won five straight years.
The John Toebben Labor Day Weekend Classic is named after the former NKU men’s soccer head coach who passed away last spring. Toebben spent 13 years as NKU’s head coach and won three GLVC championships.
The Norse posted a 20-1-2 record last season and advanced to the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals in 2002. NKU returns seven starters, including All-GLVC defenders Becky Schnieders and Robyn Withers.
NKU must replace its top three scorers from last year, but the Norse welcome back senior forwards Aisling Callaghan (seven goals, six assists) and Kendra Zinser (four goals, eight assists) to the lineup.
ABOUT SVSU, FINDLAY: Saginaw Valley State finished with a 2-15-1 record a year ago, while Findlay posted a 7-7-3 mark in 2002.
NKU defeated both Saginaw Valley State and Findlay last season. The Norse posted a 2-0 win over Saginaw Valley State in 2002, and they later added a 5-1 victory against Findlay.
NKU owns a 3-0 lead in the all-time series with Saginaw Valley State, and the Norse are 2-0 all-time against Findlay.
NKU TO MEET DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMP: NKU will meet defending NCAA Division II national champion Christian Brothers University on Sept. 5 at Memphis, Tenn. Christian Brothers is ranked No. 1 in the national poll.
The time of NKU/Christian Brothers contest has been changed from 7:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. A year ago, NKU posted a 1-0 victory against Christian Brothers.
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Amy Martini |