HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s soccer team will open the season Aug. 27 with a 7:30 p.m. match against Concord (W. Va.) College at the Town & Country Sports Complex in Wilder, Ky.
NKU also faces the University of Findlay on Aug. 29 to wrap up the first weekend of the season. The Norse posted a 17-3-4 record a year ago, advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the fifth consecutive season and finished with a No. 8 national ranking in the Division II poll.
NKU plays host to national powers Tusculum (Tenn.) College and Christian Brothers University the second weekend of the season. The Norse will meet Tusculum - which defeated NKU in overtime last fall - on Sept. 3 at Wilder, Ky. NKU squares off against Christian Brothers on Sept. 5.
The Norse open Great Lakes Valley Conference play Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m. with a home match against defending GLVC Tournament champion University of Wisconsin-Parkside. The Rangers ended NKU’s five-year reign as GLVC Tournament champion last season by edging the Norse in a penalty-kick shootout during the finals at Wilder, Ky.
That match with Wisconsin-Parkside is officially recorded as a 1-1 tie, however, and NKU enters the 2004 season with an unbeaten streak of 57 consecutive matches against GLVC opponents. NKU is 51-0-6 against GLVC teams during the past four years.
The Norse have not lost to a GLVC opponent since Oct. 9, 1999, when Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville posted a 3-1 win over NKU.
NKU head coach Bob Sheehan, who owns a 125-25-11 record in seven seasons with the Norse, welcomes back seven starters and 10 letterwinners in 2004. Junior midfielder Katie Hanck scored seven goals and added seven assists to earn All-GLVC and All-Region honors last fall.
Junior midfielder Amy Martini scored seven goals and tallied 11 assists a year ago and also returns. Sophomore forward Amy Law, the GLVC’s Freshman of the Year last season, is back after scoring eight goals in 2003.
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Bob Sheehan |