Shoko Mikami converted a penalty kick with 13 minutes remaining in regulation Friday night to tie the score, and No. 1 Christian Brothers University escaped with a 1-1 draw against NorthernKentucky University.
NKU (2-0-1) took a 1-0 lead 22 minutes into the match when KendraZinser beat Christian Brothers goalie Jennifer Kett for an unassisted breakaway goal.
The Norse, ranked No. 3 nationally in the NCAA Division II poll, held the 1-0 lead with 13 minutes remaining and appeared in control after Emi Himeshima cleared the ball out of Christian Brothers box.
NKU’s Aisling Callaghan, though, was called for a foul in the box after Himeshima had cleared the ball, and Mikami was awarded the penalty kick that tied the contest at 1-1.
NKU goalie Sam Westerling recorded 18 saves against the defending NCAA Division II national champions. Going into Friday’s showdown, NKU had not surrendered a goal this season and had allowed just three total shots in two games.
NKU extended its regular-season unbeaten streak to 21 with the tie.
The Norse have not lost a regular-season game since Oct. 28, 2001, when Mercyhurst (Pa.) College posted a 1-0 victory against the Norse.
A year ago, NKU posted a 1-0 victory over, then number one Christian Brothers at Wilder, Ky.
The win put NKU into the number one position, in the polls for most of last season. It was the only loss for the Buccaneers during the 2002 season.
In the second game of the weekend, Elaine Knudsen’s goal two minutes into overtime Sunday gave Tusculum (Tenn.) College a 2-1 upset victory over No. 3 Northern Kentucky University in women’s soccer.
Knudsen took a pass from Elaine Green, who played the ball into the box, and buried a shot past NKU goalie Sam Westerling into the net from the left side. Tusculum improved to 3-0 with the victory and ended NKU’s regular-season unbeaten streak at 21.
The loss was the first for NKU since October of 2001, and dropped their record to 2-1-1 on the seaason.
NKU took a 1-0 lead just before halftime when freshman Lindsey Thieken finished off a cross from Laurel Chalk for her first career goal.
Tusculum, however, tied the game 12 minutes into the second half when Rachel Barron scored an unassisted goal.
NKU attempted 17 shots and finished with 13 corner kicks, but scored only once in the loss.
Tusculum totaled 11 shots, but the Pioneers were limited to just one corner kick the entire game.
-NKU Sports Information
