HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s soccer team, which settled for a 2-2 tie at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville on Sunday, is again No. 1 in this week’s NCAA Division II national poll.
The Norse (9-0-1 overall, 3-0-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference) are No. 1 in the national poll for the third consecutive week. Unbeaten Franklin Pierce (N.H.) College (7-0) is No. 2 in the national poll.
NKU will play host to Lewis University at 8 p.m. this Friday at the Town & Country Sports Complex in Wilder, Ky. Lewis enters that contest with an 0-7 record. The Norse will also play host to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (5-0-1 overall, 2-0-1 GLVC) at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
Wisconsin-Parkside has yet to surrender a goal this season, and the Rangers played SIUE to a scoreless tie two weeks ago.
Kristen Noakes scored a pair of goals in the final 15 minutes of regulation Sunday as NKU tied SIUE. As a result of the tie, NKU remained unbeaten (32-0-3) in its last 35 matches against GLVC teams. The Norse have not lost to a GLVC opponent since Oct. 9, 1999, when SIUE posted a 3-1 win over NKU.
The last time NKU was tied by a GLVC opponent was on Oct. 15, 2000, when Lewis University and the Norse played to a 1-1 deadlock.
SIUE bolted out to a 2-0 lead Sunday on first-half goals by Ann Crawford and Sarah Landt. NKU - which finished with a 30-7 advantage in shots - still trailed 2-0 with 15 minutes remaining in regulation when Noakes netted a goal that was assisted by Bessie Black and Molly Eagan.
Noakes struck again at the 80:52 mark when she took a cross from Kendra Zinser and found the net from 12 yards out to tie the match. Noakes, a graduate of Dixie Heights High School, has six goals this season. Zinser, a graduate of Mercy High School in Cincinnati, has four assists this year.
NKU senior forward Stephanie Sandfoss ranks No. 2 in the GLVC in scoring with six goals and six assists (1.8 ppg). Norse junior forward Aisling Callaghan is No. 6 in the GLVC in scoring with six goals and three assists (1.5 ppg).
Kendra Zinser