WILDER, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women’s soccer team improved to 2-0 on the season defeating the University of Findlay Oilers 3-1 on Sunday, Aug. 29, at the Town and Country Sports Complex.
Coming off of a 3-0 win over Concord (W. Va) Friday night, the Norse looked a little sluggish come Sunday afternoon.
Katie Hanck opened the scoring around the 15-minute mark of the first half.
It was Hanck’s second goal on the season. It was only two minutes later that Findlay tied it up with a goal from Gina Mortaro.
Mortaro scored on a rebound shot that was fumbled by Norse goalie Lauren Piening.
“Once Findlay tied it up, it seemed like nothing would work. We tried everything,” said sophomore Krista Rogers. The Norse tried all kinds of combinations to get the ball through Findlay’s stubborn defense.
The Norse struggled in the first half, but they came out firing after halftime. They out shot Findlay 12-6. Findlay goalkeeper Tabitha Goetz kept the Norse at bay for most of the game.
The score was tied at one at the half.
“Coach was pretty frustrated with us at halftime,” said Rogers. “We knew we had to do something about it.”
The Norse started out slow in the second half, but during the last 20 minutes of the game, they picked up the pace, pinning the Oilers in their defensive end.
With about three minutes to go in the game, junior Amy Martini made a perfect pass to sophomore Amy Law who nipped a shot in the lower left of the net past Goetz.
“We knew if we got another goal, this game would be over,” Rogers said.
You could tell that the pressure was off the players after Law’s goal. The Norse put the nail in the coffin with 1:05 left in the game when junior Kristen Votapek chipped a shot over Goetz.
That was Votapek’s first goal of the season. Votapek transferred from Mount Vernon Nazarene College last year.
The win was an important one in region games for the Norse. “We can’t lose region games,” said senior defender Robyn Withers. Withers is a key defender who helps anchor the tough Norse defense.
The Norse continue their tough season this coming weekend against two of the top teams in the country as Tusculum and Christian Brothers come to Town and Country.
The Norse are looking to avenge their 2-1 overtime defeat against Tusculum last year.