The Northern Kentucky Norse men’s soccer team (2-3 overall) hit the road and and earned their first shutout of the season over the Virginia Military Institute Keydets, 6-0, on Tuesday.
Senior midfielder Craig Wellens, senior forwards Sam Robinson, Brodie Sallows, sophomore midfielder Simon Knuewe, graduate student defender Stian Jorgensen and freshman midfielder Parker Vasic scored the Norse goals. Junior Deryn Armstrong had one assist and four shots on goal.
But the Norse lost their Horizon League opener, 2-1, at Robert Morris on Saturday afternoon.
Armstrong scored NKU’s lone goal 17 minutes into the game. That marked his first of the year and fifth in his Norse career.
Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Nic Lemen had five saves. Junior Roberto Burlew and senior Ben Hegge had shots on goal.
The Norse play host to Xavier on Monday. Game time is 7 p.m.
Women’s Soccer Drops Home Game
The Norse (0-4-1) dropped a home game, 2-0, against Ohio University on Thursday. It was the final non-conference game before Horizon League play begins.
Junior goalkeeper Mickayla Kowalski made two saves for the Norse. They’ve been shut out all five games this season.
NKU travels to Detroit Mercy on Thursday. Game time is 7 p.m.
Volleyball
The Norse may be 1-8, but NKU came close two victories twice in the Western Kentucky University Invitational Volleyball Invitational in their three games.
On Thursday, the Norse took the 21st-ranked Hilltoppers to the brink before falling 3-2. After losing the first game 25-23, NKU won the next two by 25-23, 25-18 scores. But the Hilltoppers won the next two by 25-16 and 15-9 scores.
Graduate student Anna Brinkmann had 22 kills, 21 digs and two blocks and redshirt senior Abby Kanakry had 15 kills and one block to lead the Norse. Junior middle blocker Allie Siefke had six blocks, two aces, six kills and a .385 hitting percentage. Junior setter Torie Houston had 22 assists, two aces and nine digs. Senior defensive specialist Anna Burke had 18 digs, one ace and eight assists.
The Norse came back the next day and lost 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-17) to Toledo. NKU had just a .069 (26 kills minus 19 errors on 101 attempts) hitting percentage to .320 (41 kills minus 10 errors on 97 attempts) for the Rockets.
Kanakry had 11 kills to lead the Norse and graduate student outside hitter Anna Brinkmann had seven to go with three blocks and 11 digs. Houston had 10 assists and freshman setter Madison Tracy had nine. Siefke had two aces and freshman middle blocker Raelyn Sanders had three blocks. Burke added 13 digs and Houston had eight.
NKU finished the tournament with a tight 3-2 (23-25, 25-20, 19-25, 25-20, 15-11) loss to the Austin Peay Governors (4-4). NKU had a .207 hitting percentage (62 kills minus 23 errors on 188 attempts) to .185 (63 kills minus 28 errors on 189 attempts) for Austin Peay.
Brinkmann had 18 kills, 13 digs and two aces and Kanakry had 17 kills, two blocks and four digs for the Norse. Tracey had 22 assists and 12 digs with Houston recording 25 assists and 10 digs. Burke had 23 digs and seven assists with sophomore outside hitter Joy Banks tallying 12 kills, four digs and one block.
NKU plays in the Stacey Clark Classic on Thursday and Friday at Holloway Gymnasium at Purdue University. The Norse plays the hosts at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time Thursday and the defending Mid-American Conference champion Ball State Cardinals on Friday at 4 p.m.
Women’s Tennis
The Norse opened the fall season participating in the University of Dayton Flyer Invitational at the Graul Tennis Complex on Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, the Norse recorded singles victories against Dayton opponents. Sophomore Mariajose Hernandez beat Laura Greb 6-2, 2-6, 10-7 and senior Ananya Kothakota beat Jordan Mitchell, 6-2, 6-1.
On Saturday, sophomore Ashlee Fisk beat Cincinnati’s Katie Ferguson by 6-2, 4-6, 10-2 scores. In doubles action, NKU picked up two doubles win against Dayton. The doubles team of graduate students Elizabeth Rozin and Laura Sola Grau beat Greb and Erica Wojcikiewicz, 6-4. The team of sophomore Sonia Tandelova and junior Sylvia Gray beat Mitchell and Natalie Stanton, 6-2.
Northern Kentucky plays in the ITA Regionals starting Oct. 19 in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Ohio Valley Regionals occur at the Goodfriend Tennis Center.