NKU women’s soccer streak ends
Northern Kentucky University’s women’s soccer team was part of history Sunday – but not the kind the Norse wanted.
Morehead State handed NKU (4-1) its first loss of the season, 2-0. The Eagles beat the Norse for the first time in program history (NKU is still 8-1-1 overall) and scored the first goal since 2017.
“It’s always difficult to go on the road, and we didn’t have a great start,” NKU head coach Bob Sheehan said. “We gave up an own goal, and that happens. We actually outshot Morehead 15-2 in the second half.”
The Eagles (3-3) are also 2-0 against Horizon League teams; MSU beat Cleveland State, 1-0, on Aug. 23.
Next for NKU: Cincinnati in the Riverboat Rivalry at 1 p.m. next Sunday in Highland Heights. The Norse are 0-5-1 against the Bearcats, including last year’s 1-1 tie.
“They’re playing in a power conference (the Big XII), and we’re playing in the Horizon League,” Sheehan said. “So I think we’ll be challenged athletically.”
NKU, FOX19 offer new media outlet
NKU and FOX 19 (WXIX-TV) have formed a strategic partnership to broadcast select Norse games and other programs.
“We’re incredibly excited about our new partnership with FOX19 and thhe opportunity it creates to expand the visibility of Norse Athletics throughout Northern Kentucky and the Greater Cincinnati region, NKU vice president and director of athletics Mike Odom said in a prepared statement.
Select NKU events will air on FOX19 (Channel 19.3) and the ROCK Entertainment Sports Network (RESN, watchrocksports.com). The third season of the Darrin Horn Show runs Thursdays at 6 p.m. on RESN, FOX channel 19.3, Altafiber channel 253 and Charter Spectrum Channel 999) and 3 p.m. Thursdays on the NKU/YouTube channel.
NKU women’s volleyball
The Norse’s 3-2 win over Fresno State on Friday at the Jim Stone Challenge in Columbus, Ohio almost didn’t happen.
NKU faced match point in the third set before its 25-27, 22-25, 28-26, 25-14,18-16 win at the Covelli Center, the first victory to open a season since 2019.
The third set wasn’t the only time NKU could’ve lost. In the fifth, the Norse trailed the Bulldogs, 14-11, 15-14 and 16-15 before kills from Sydney Bray, Ivey Stocks and Ava Hoying secured the win.
NKU is now 1-2 after losses to Bowling Green, 3-2, and Ohio State, 3-1.
The Norse head north on Interstate 75 for the Best Western Invitational Friday and Saturday in Bowling Green. NKU meets American University at 10 a.m. Friday, Arkansas State at 4 p.m. Friday and Bowling Green at 5 p.m. Saturday.
Women’s triathlon
NKU finished sixth in the Duquesne Cup Thursday at Brady’s Run park in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.
Charlotte Cunningham was the fastest NKU athlete, finishing in 40th of 57 competitors in 1 hour, 13 minutes, 33 seconds. She swam 750 meters in 12:20.63, rode her bicycle 11.8 miles in 37 minutes and ran a 5K in 22:57.
NKU’s Tia Weiss was 50th in 1:21.47, Maggie Wilson was 51st, Fallon Bright was 53rd, and Maddux Bigham was 54th.
The Norse will compete in the ETSU Buc Cup Friday in Johnson City, Tennessee.
NKU men’s soccer remains winless
For the second straight game, the Norse did not hold an early lead.
Sunday’s fixture against Bellarmine was the costliest – a 2-1 home loss in which NKU squandered a 1-0 halftime advantage, less than a week after last Monday’s 2-2 tie against Southern Indiana.
Carlos Merce’ scored a goal against Southern Indiana and one in the 33rd minute against Bellarmine.
NKU (0-2-1) takes on Ohio State at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in Columbus. Sophomore forward Tre Jervier II won’t be playing – he drew a red card in the 87th minute against Bellarmine.
Saints stumble in season opener
For 30 minutes Saturday, things were going well for Thomas More’s football team – they led Wheeling, 7-0, at halftime.
Then, a collapse. The Cardinals scored 27 unanswered points in a 27-10 loss.
Kayleb Wagner’s one-yard run with 7:42 left in the first quarter gave Thomas More its only lead.
Thomas More’s Ben Chesser threw for 196 yards and ran for another 38. Numehnne Gwilly caught nine passes for 80 yards, and Javion Bostic caught nine for 55.
The Saints have this week off before heading to Dayton on Sept. 5.
Thomas More women’s volleyball struggles in Indy
The Saints lost three matches at the UIndy Invitational: 3-0 to Saginaw Valley State (25-15, 25-20, 25-10), 3-2 to West Liberty University (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 24-26, 17-19) and 3-0 to Indiana-Indianapolis (25-8, 25-14, 25-14).
Reagan Martin leads the Saints with 20 kills. Paige Stockhoff is tops in assists with 40, Taylor Stivers had 42 digs, and Sadie Stuart had 10 blocks.
The Thomas More Invitational Friday and Saturday at Connor Convocation Center. The Saints’ schedule: Central State at 2 p.m. Friday, Salem University at 7 p.m. Friday, Lake Superior State at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, and Kentucky State at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
TMU men’s soccer wins, loses
The Saints opened the season Thursday with a 4-0 win over Shawnee State but lost to Trevecca Nazarene, 3-2, Saturday in Nashville.
Against Shawnee State, Anwar Benkandil, Ramzi Termanini, Will Fox and Xavier Munro scored a goal apiece, and Fox added an assist.
“It was a great start to the season for the team on Thursday with a lot of new players coming in and do so well,” Fox wrote in a text message.
Benkandil and Nils Waltermode scored against Travecca Nazarene. Goalkeeper Tim Tempel saved two shots against Shawnee State and four against Travecca Nazarene.
The Saints take on Point Park at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Pittsburgh and host Wisconsin-Parkside at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Cross country seasons open
Both Thomas More’s and NKU’s men’s and women’s cross country seasons begin Friday at the Mike Baumer XC Classic at Community Lower Park in Fairborn, Ohio.
The men’s 5K race begins at 6 p.m., followed by the women’s 5K at 6:45.
