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Nov. 15, 2000 |
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NKU TO HOST MERCYHURST ON SATURDAY |
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Norse (19-1-2) play host to NCAA quarterfinals at 1:30 p.m. |
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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s soccer team will play host to Mercyhurst (Pa.) College at 1:30 p.m. this Saturday (Nov. 18) in the national quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Tournament at the Town & Country Sports Complex in Wilder, Ky. NKU, now 19-1-2 and ranked No. 4 nationally in the Division II poll, knocked off the University of Minnesota-Duluth, 6-2, last week in the first round. Mercyhurst, now 14-2-3 after advancing past Ashland University in the first round on penalty kicks, is ranked No. 9 nationally in the Division II poll. NKU already owns a 6-2 win over Mercyhurst this season in a match that was played at Erie, Pa. NKU’s Betsy Moore scored a school-record four goals in that match to lead the Norse. If NKU defeats Mercyhurst on Saturday, the Norse will advance to the NCAA Division II Final Four for the second consecutive year. FAMILIAR OPPONENT: A year ago, NKU also knocked off Mercyhurst in the national quarterfinals by a 3-1 score at Wilder, Ky. Lindsay Smith scored two goals to lead the Norse in that match. After a scoreless first half, Smith gave NKU a 1-0 lead with a goal off an assist from Jeanna Martin. Smith later gave the Norse a 2-0 lead off an assist from Betsy Moore at the 56:57 mark. Mercyhurst’s Lindsay Cook cut the lead to 2-1 with an unassisted goal at the 65:11 mark, but Martin iced the match for NKU with a goal off an assist from Moore with less than two minutes remaining. NORSE LEADERS: NKU junior midfielder Tricia Ruark has 10 goals and 18 assists this season. Ruark was also named Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year. Junior forward Betsy Moore leads NKU with 13 goals, and she scored a pair of goals during the Norse’s 6-2 win against Minnesota-Duluth in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Sophomore Bessie Black also scored a pair of goals last week against Minnesota-Duluth. She now has 12 goals and five assists for NKU this season. NKU goalie Lauren Piening has a 0.55 goals against average. ABOUT MERCYHURST: The Lakers are led by freshman forward Geraldine O’Shea, who has 13 goals and 10 assists this season. Junior forward Jessica Krueger has scored five goals, while junior midfielder Tuesday Kastner has four goals and two assists. Mercyhurst goalie Meghan Frey has a 0.75 goals against average and nine shutouts. |