Nov. 16, 1999

NKU/MERCYHURST NCAA PREVIEW

NORTHERN KENTUCKY (21-2)

Northern Kentucky University, which won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament championship, defeated North Dakota State, 1-0, last week to win the Central Region title. Lisa Geiman scored a goal late in the first half, and the NKU defense held off the Bison to advance into the NCAA quarterfinals. The Norse own a 21-2 record and are ranked No. 7 nationally in the NCAA Division II poll.

Sophomore goalie Lauren Piening owns a 0.47 goals against average. Piening has a streak of eight consecutive shutout performances. The last team to score a goal on Piening was Missouri-Rolla on Oct. 16.

The NKU offense is led by sophomore forward Betsy Moore, who has scored a school-record 21 goals this season. Moore also has 10 assists and leads the GLVC with 52 total points. Sophomore midfielder Tricia Ruark has 14 goals and eight assists, and freshman forward Kristen Noakes has scored nine goals and added eight assists. Sophomore Lori Kevill has scored six goals and added two assists, and senior Lindsay Smith has four goals and five assists.

MERCYHURST COLLEGE (16-5)

Mercyhurst (Pa.) College won the Great Lakes Region title last week with a 1-0 upset against Ashland University, which was ranked No. 2 in the nation. The Lakers are now 16-5.

Mercyhurst’s Theresa Roach scored the only goal against Ashland at the 37:36 mark, and goalie Meghan Frey stopped a penalty kick late in the match to preserve the victory. Ashland’s Kristy Ritchie attempted a penalty kick with 2:50 remaining in regulation, but Frey knocked the shot away.

Frey owns a 1.18 goals against average, and she has recorded 11 shutouts this season. Roach leads Mercyhurst with 22 goals and nine assists. Jessica Krueger has six goals and 10 assists, and Tuesday Kastner has added eight goals for the Lakers.

Mercyhurst has already played NKU at the Town & Country Sports Complex this season, and the Norse prevailed by a 3-0 score on Sept. 1. NKU's Betsy Moore scored a pair of goals to lead the Norse offense.

Mercyhurst leads the all-time series with NKU, 2-1. The Lakers defeated NKU in both 1997 and 1998.