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November 29, 2008
MEN'S BASKETBALL
WINGATE, N.C. – DeMario Mattox keyed a 19-4 second-half run with seven points as Wingate rallied for a 72-62 victory against previously unbeaten Northern Kentucky University in the OrthoCarolina Classic on Saturday.
NKU (4-1) owned a 54-46 lead with 9:11 remaining in the game after Dustin Maguire made a 3-pointer, but Wingate (3-3) countered with a 19-4 spurt to take a 65-58 advantage. Mattox capped the run by hitting a short jumper with 1:48 remaining.
NKU, which is ranked No. 5 nationally in the NCAA Division II poll, committed 24 turnovers and made just 39.7 percent of its shots from the field. The Norse were also 6-for-13 from the free-throw line.
“You can’t commit 24 turnovers on the road and expect to win, especially if you send the other team to the line 31 times,” NKU head coach Dave Bezold said. “It should take us three games to get 24 turnovers. Wingate played very hard, and we did not match their intensity. I thought we were in good shape in the second half when we had the lead, but then we had several wide-open shots that didn’t fall.
“You have to make those shots on the road. Wingate turned it up, and we did not respond by making wide-open shots.”
Mattox led Wingate with 15 points and four assists. The Bulldogs were 24-for-31 at the free-throw line and finished with a 32-11 advantage in points off turnovers.
Kenny Villines added 11 points and 10 rebounds for Wingate, which is now 2-0 all-time against NKU. David Johnson scored 13 points for the Bulldogs.
Leslie Malone scored 11 points for NKU, while teammates Scott Bibbins and Dennis Gagai each added 10. Maguire and Tanner Jacobs scored nine points apiece for the Norse, who won the rebounding battle by a 41-39 margin.
November 26, 2008
VOLLEYBALL
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Three Northern Kentucky University volleyball players have been named NCAA Division II All-Midwest Region, the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced Wednesday.
Natalie Forbes and Kelsey Wesaw were named to the first team, while Kristina Eisenmenger was voted second team. Those three players helped NKU post a 28-8 record this season and advance to the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Forbes, a senior setter from Highlands High School, directed the NKU offense to a Great Lakes Valley Conference-leading .305 hitting percentage this season. Forbes, who also earned all-tournament honors at the NCAA II Midwest Regional, averaged 11.44 assists per game to finish No. 2 in the GLVC in that category.
Wesaw, a senior right-side hitter from Lansing, Mich., finished with a .339 hitting percentage and tied Eisenmenger for first place in the GLVC statistics in that category. Wesaw, who played three years at Findlay before transferring to NKU, also finished No. 3 in the GLVC in kills per game at 3.44. She also earned a spot on the Daktronics All-Midwest Region second team earlier in the week.
Eisenmenger, a graduate of Notre Dame Academy, finished her career second in Norse history with 1,743 kills. She averaged 3.59 kills per game this season to rank No. 2 in the GLVC and earned all-tournament honors at the NCAA II Midwest Regional.
Eisenmenger, who was named to the Daktronics All-Midwest Region first team earlier this week, earned honorable mention All-America accolades from the AVCA as a junior.
Forbes and Wesaw are now eligible for AVCA All-America honors. Eisenmenger is a candidate for the Daktronics All-America recognition.
November 25, 2008
MEN'S BASKETBALL
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The top two teams in the NABC/Division II pre-season Coaches Poll remain the same in the first regular season poll for the 2008-09 season, as Findlay and South Carolina Aiken retain those spots heading into Thanksgiving weekend.
Findlay picked up wins over Indianapolis and Northwestern (Ohio) to open the season, while USC Aiken beat Wingate in its opener, then won two games at the Mount Olive Pickle Classic over the weekend by beating Barton and host Mount Olive to improve to 3-0.
Meanwhile, Bentley – ranked third in the pre-season – dropped two contests early in the season to fall out of the top 10 and allowed several teams to move up as a result. Florida Southern, Augusta State and Northern Kentucky all moved up one spot to make up the rest of the top five. Central Oklahoma moved up a spot to No. 6, followed by Southwest Baptist – who already has a win at Utah and a victory over nationally-ranked Drury on its resume – Gannon, Grand Valley State and Minnesota State. Grand Valley State is the only newcomer to the top 10 as it moved up from No. 11.
The second ten is headed by Central Washington and LIU-C.W. Post, then Bentley comes in at No. 13. Tarleton State and Brigham Young-Hawaii round out the first 15 in the poll.
NABC/Division II Coaches Poll (Nov. 25, 2008)
Record Points Pvs
1. Findlay (8 first place votes) 2-0 200 1
2. South Carolina Aiken 3-0 190 2
3. Florida Southern 5-1 182 4
4. Augusta State, Ga. 1-0 170 5
5. Northern Kentucky 4-0 167 6
6. Central Oklahoma 4-0 161 7
7. Southwest Baptist, Mo. 3-0 147 12
8. Gannon, Pa. 1-0 138 10
9. Grand Valley State, Mich. 2-0 136 11
10. Minnesota State 5-1 127 8
11. Central Washington 1-0 108 13
12. LIU-C.W. Post, N.Y. 2-0 102 14
13. Bentley, Mass. 4-2 96 3
14. Tarleton State, Texas 4-0 85 19
15. Brigham Young-Hawaii 2-0 84 23
16. North Alabama 2-1 75 15
17. Kentucky Wesleyan 2-0 65 22
18. Winona State, Minn. 2-2 60 8
19. Southwest Minnesota State 4-0 47 NR
20. Pittsburgh-Johnstown, Pa. 2-0 44 25
21. Drury, Mo. 2-1 36 18
22. Rollins, Fla. 3-0 35 NR
23. Catawba, N.C. 3-0 30 NR
24. Northwest Missouri State 2-1 26 16
25. Johnson C. Smith, N.C. 4-0 19 NR
Others receiving votes: Merrimack (Mass.) 11, Southern New Hampshire 9, Fort Lewis (Colo.) 7, Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 7, St. Cloud State (Minn.) 7, West Chester (Pa.) 7, Western Washington 7, Nebraska-Omaha 6, Francis Marion (S.C.) 4, Benedict (S.C.) 3, Saint Martin’s (Wash.) 3, Mount Olive (N.C.) 2, Stonehill (Mass.) 2, Ashland (Ohio) 1.
Records are through games of Nov. 23, 2008.
November 24, 2008
MEN'S BASKETBALL
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – DeAaron Williams scored 19 points and grabbed six rebounds as Northern Kentucky University improved to 4-0 with a 76-44 win over Saginaw Valley State Monday night.
Williams, a 6-foot-5 senior forward, also blocked two shots and was 3-for-4 from 3-point range. Dustin Maguire, Leslie Malone and A’Daeron Duncan each finished with 10 points for the Norse, who shot 50 percent from the field and won the rebounding battle by a 44-23 margin.
“We had very good balance offensively and did a great job rebounding,” NKU head coach Dave Bezold said. “Our depth really helped in this game, and our bench gave us 34 points.”
NKU used a 21-3 run in the first half to extend a 15-11 lead to a 36-14 advantage on a jumper by Duncan. The Norse, who are ranked No. 6 nationally in the NCAA Division II poll, held Saginaw Valley State (0-2) to 36.2 percent shooting from the field.
November 24, 2008
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Jessie Slack scored a career-high 26 points and dished out four assists to lead Northern Kentucky University to a 78-38 win over Mercyhurst (Pa.) Monday night.
Slack, a senior guard from Mt. Perry, Ohio, finished 12-for-16 from the field. She scored 14 points in the first half as NKU built a 38-18 lead at the break.
Cassie Brannen added 15 points for NKU (2-0), which is ranked No. 1 nationally in the NCAA Division II poll. Brannen, a senior post player and Mount Notre Dame High School graduate, now has 984 career points.
The Norse shot 60 percent from the field and held Mercyhurst (1-1) to 36.8 percent. NKU also forced 24 turnovers by the visitors.
November 22, 2008
MEN'S SOCCER
MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – For the first time in history, the Northern Kentucky University’s men’s soccer team is going to the NCAA Division II Final Four.
NKU earned the trip Saturday night by beating Millersville, 5-4, in a penalty-kick shootout in the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals. The teams played to a 1-1 draw after two overtimes, but NKU (16-2-4) won the trip to the Final Four in Tampa, Fla., by besting the home team in penalty kicks.
Braden Bishop got the scoring started for NKU in the first half when he deposited Alex Allison’s pass into the back of the net past Marauder goalie Matt Langione. Shane Seabrook knotted the game at 1-all in the 85th minute, setting the stage for overtime.
Norse goalie Michael Lavric stopped the first penalty kick he saw and then both teams traded their next four each. Alex Allison won the shootout with the final kick.
The Norse will take on either UMass-Lowell or Dowling (N.Y.) on Dec. 5 at Tampa, Fla. The winner of that game advances to the NCAA Division II national title contest Dec. 7.
November 22, 2008
MEN'S SOCCER
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The last two times the Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team advanced to the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals were eerily identical.
The same location, Wilder, Ky. The same opponent in Lincoln Memorial. The same result, a 2-1 loss for the Norse.
In NKU's third consecutive trip to the round of eight, two of those three similarities have already changed, as the Norse will take to the air in travelling to Millersville, Pa., to take on Millersville University.
The Norse (16-2-3) reach this point in an unorthodox manner, taking the Midwest Region championship via a penalty-kick shootout victory over Lewis, 4-3, after playing 110 minutes of scoreless soccer. Tony Ray knocked home the clinching try to give NKU its first shootout victory in 20 years, the last coming on Nov. 2, 1988 against Kentucky Wesleyan in the quarterfinals of the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament.
The winner of Saturday's match will advance to the NCAA national semifinals, to be played on Thursday, Dec. 4 in Tampa, Fla., against the winner of the Dowling/UMass-Lowell quarterfinal match. The national championship match is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6, at 3:30 p.m.
A WORD ABOUT MILLERSVILLE: The Marauders enter Saturday's contest at 18-3 on the season as the Atlantic Region champions. In what was almost a direct repeat of the Pennsylvania State Conference tournament, Millersville, as the No. 1 seed, defeated California (Pa.) in the first round, 3-0, before besting Slippery Rock, 1-0, in the regional final.
It is MU's first-ever trip to the national quarterfinals.
MU's only common opponent with the Norse in 2008 is West Virginia Wesleyan, and both teams took double-overtime victories over the Bobcats this season. The Norse and Marauders have never faced off in any NCAA-sanctioned event.
The Marauders are led by PSAC East Athlete of the Year Sean McLaughlin, who has 14 goals and nine assists on the season. Three other MU players - Ryan Kiley, Kyle Loughlin and Pat Baffuto - have seven or more goals on the season. Matt Langione stands between the posts for MU, maintaining a 0.95 goals against average on the season and a .793 goals against average.
OFFENSE HOLDING STEADY: For the third consecutive week the NKU offense ranks 11th in the nation at 2.4 goals per game, though the postseason output by the Norse has been just over half of their season average, with just seven goals scored in five tournament games.
THE "BIG THREE": NKU's postseason offense has come off the efforts of three players in 2008. Midfield Steven Beattie, the GLVC and Midwest Region Player of the Year, has four goals, while forward Braden Bishop and defender Eric Ashworth each claim one tally each. The Norse were also beneficiaries of an own goal against Bellarmine to account for their seven postseason markers.
ROAD WARRIORS: The Norse will play their fifth-consecutive game away from their home field on Saturday, the longest road stretch by the Norse since the 2002 season, when NKU finished a 6-10-2 season with five road games, closing out in the same city that the Norse just left, Kansas City, Mo., against Rockhurst.
YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT: In NKU's 28-year soccer history, the Norse are 7-9 against teams they have only faced one time.
AGAINST THE KEYSTONE KLATCH: The Norse hold an all-time record of 6-12 against PSAC teams, with their only wins coming against Gannon (3-4) and Mercyhurst (3-6). The Norse also claim 0-1 records against East Stroudsburg and Lock Haven.
November 22, 2008
MEN'S BASKETBALL
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Dustin Maguire scored 16 points to lead Northern Kentucky University to an 87-41 win over UC-Clermont in the John L. Griffin/Lions Club Classic on Saturday night.
Leslie Malone added 15 points and nine rebounds for NKU, which improved to 3-0. The Norse finished with a 55-27 rebounding advantage and held UC-Clermont (1-4) to 32.1 percent shooting from the field.
Scott Bibbins added 11 points and four assists for NKU, which is ranked No. 6 nationally in the NCAA Division II poll. Brad Holser scored nine points and grabbed nine rebounds for NKU, while DeAaron Williams finished with eight points, six rebounds and three assists.
“We had really good balance and did a good job of rebounding the ball,” NKU head coach Dave Bezold said. “We still have a long way to go to be a really good team, but I think our guys are starting to understand their roles.”
All 11 players who saw action Saturday scored for NKU. Maguire was named the most outstanding player for NKU, while Williams earned the John L. Griffin Hustle Award for his play in the two-day event.
November 21, 2008
MEN'S BASKETBALL
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Dustin Maguire scored 21 points to lead Northern Kentucky University to a 76-57 win over Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) in the opening round of the John L. Griffin/Lions Club Classic on Friday.
Maguire finished 7-for-9 from 3-point range as NKU improved to 2-0. The Norse made 11 of 16 (68.8 percent) 3-point attempts in the first half to build a 46-20 advantage and coasted to the victory.
“We shot the ball very well from the outside and played a very good first half,” NKU head coach Dave Bezold said.
Dennis Gagai made a trio of 3-pointers in the first half and finished with nine points. Scott Bibbins added nine points and four assists for the Norse, who are 2-0 all-time against Olivet Nazarene (2-4).
November 21, 2008
VOLLEYBALL
ALLENDALE, Mich. – Kim Nemcek finished with 14 kills and a .632 hitting percentage to lead the Northern Kentucky University volleyball team to a 25-19, 25-17, 25-20 win over Lewis in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional on Friday.
Kristina Eisenmenger added 13 kills and attacked at a .458 clip for NKU, which improved to 28-7. The sixth-seeded Norse hit .340 as a team and knocked off the third-seeded Flyers (31-8) for the second time in 13 days.
Natalie Forbes dished out 37 assists and had 10 digs for NKU, while teammate Kelsey Wesaw added 10 kills and hit .389. Lewis hit only .087 as a team and managed just 26 digs, while NKU collected 41 digs.
Chelsea Clark served up three aces for NKU, which won an NCAA Tournament match for the first time since 2003.
NKU will meet Saginaw Valley State in the regional semifinals Saturday at 5 p.m. Saginaw Valley State swept Michigan Tech in the first round Friday.
Earlier this season, NKU defeated Saginaw Valley State in five sets.
November 19, 2008
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball coach Nancy Winstel announced Wednesday she has signed three prep standouts for the 2009-10 season. They are:
•Tara Benedict, a 6-foot-2 post player from Troy (Ohio) Christian High School. Benedict averaged 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists last season. She enters her senior year having scored more than 800 career points.
•Jaimie Hamlet, a 5-7 guard from Glen Este High School. Hamlet averaged 15.3 ppg and 3.1 assists as a junior for the Trojans. She also earned All-Fort Ancient Valley Conference honors and was named All-Southwest Ohio.
•Katie Kees, a 6-2 post player from Mercy High School in Cincinnati. Kees was named honorable mention All-Girls’ Greater Cincinnati League last season. As a junior, Kees averaged a team-leading 1.6 blocks per game and averaged 10 ppg. She also grabbed 6.7 rebounds per contest as the Bobcats posted a 17-5 record.
“We feel very good about this recruiting class with Tara, Jaimie and Katie. We added much-needed size with Tara and Katie, and Jaimie is an outstanding guard,” Winstel said. “We were looking for post players in this class and signed two very good prospects in Tara and Katie. Tara is a very good offensive player, and she handles the ball for her team in high school. She is a good 3-point shooter, but she is also a post-oriented player who is going to help us.
“Katie is an athletic post player who runs the floor very well. She is very good defensively and I think her potential is unlimited. Jaimie is the ultimate gym rat and a player who is always thinking on the court. She really pays attention to detail and is a player a coach loves to have on the team. She is also a very good scorer who can play the point.”
NKU is the defending NCAA Division II national champion.
November 18, 2008
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
NO. 1 IN THE NATION: NKU is the defending NCAA Division II national champion, and the Norse are ranked No. 1 in both preseason polls. NKU posted a 28-8 record last season en route to capturing its second national crown.
The Norse also won the 2000 NCAA Division II national championship.
UC GETS PLENTY OF SLACK: Senior guard Jessie Slack scored 17 points on Nov. 1 as NKU posted a 56-52 win against Cincinnati in an exhibition game at Fifth Third Arena. Slack also grabbed seven rebounds and added three steals in that victory.
A year ago, Slack poured in 24 points during a 69-67 loss to the Bearcats. In that game, she knocked down six 3-pointers.
Slack averaged 13.3 points per game last season and earned All-Great Lakes Valley Conference honors. She also made a team-leading 68 shots from 3-point range and converted 85 percent of her free throws.
A transfer from East Carolina, Slack dished out 92 assists in her first season at NKU and was also named to the all-tournament team at the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional last March.
Slack scored 15 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists against Louisville on Nov. 8 as NKU closed out its preseason schedule.
BRACKMAN DEALS CARDS: NKU senior guard Karen Brackman scored 15 points against Louisville. Brackman made both of her 3-point attempts and was 5-for-5 at the free-throw line. She also grabbed three rebounds in that contest.
DANDY BRANDI: NKU junior forward Brandi Rayburn made an impressive debut Nov. 1 with 14 points against Cincinnati. Rayburn, a transfer from Morehead State, was 5-for-8 from the field against Cincinnati and grabbed four rebounds. She then scored nine points against Louisville, including a 6-for-6 performance from the free-throw line.
Rayburn saw action in 29 games for the Eagles last season and averaged 7.6 points per contest. She also knocked down 40 shots from 3-point range and made 84 percent of her free-throw attempts.
INSIDE FORCE: Senior post player Cassie Brannen averaged 13.6 points per game and blocked 75 shots last season. Brannen, a graduate of Mount Notre Dame High School in Cincinnati, enters her final season at NKU with 957 career points and a school-record 172 blocked shots.
Brannen led the GLVC in both field-goal percentage (.556) and blocked shots (75) last season. Brannen’s 75 blocked shots were a Norse single-season record, eclipsing the mark of 72 she set the previous year. In addition, she was named the most outstanding player of the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional at Springfield, Mo.
CALDWELL WITH SOLID GAME: NKU sophomore post player Kendra Caldwell finished with eight points and five rebounds against Louisville. She also blocked two shots in that exhibition game.
LATE-SEASON ROLL: NKU closed the 2007-08 season by winning 10 of its last 11 games to capture the national championship. The only loss during that stretch was a 71-67 setback at Drury in the championship game of the GLVC Tournament at Springfield, Mo.
WINSTEL APPROACHES 600TH WIN: NKU head coach Nancy Winstel enters this season with 587 victories during her college coaching career, which began at Midway (Ky.) College. Winstel has recorded 548 wins as NKU head coach, and she collected 39 victories in three seasons as the head coach at Midway.
NCAA DIVISION II PRESEASON NATIONAL POLL
1. Northern Kentucky
2. California (Pa.)
3. Washburn (Kan.)
4. Franklin Pierce
5. Alaska Anchorage
6. West Texas A&M
7. Drury
8. Stonehill (Mass.)
9. Delta State
10. Holy Family
November 17, 2008
MEN'S SOCCER
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The No. 10 Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team will travel to take on Millersville in the NCAA Division II National Quarterfinals on Saturday night at 7 p.m. in Millersville, Pa.
The Norse (16-2-3) played to a 0-0 draw with Lewis (Ill.) before advancing 4-3 in penalty kicks. The win gave Northern Kentucky its third straight Midwest Region title. The Marauders (18-3) claimed the first Atlantic Region title in school history on Sunday afternoon by downing Slippery Rock 1-0.
The winner of Saturday night's contest will move on to face the winner of the U. Mass-Lowell/Dowling quarterfinal game in Tampa, Fla. on Thursday, December 4.
November 17, 2008
VOLLEYBALL
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University volleyball team has received a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament, and the Norse will meet Lewis in the first round of the Midwest Regional this Friday at Allendale, Mich.
NKU (27-7) is the sixth seed in the Midwest Regional, which is being hosted by top-seeded Grand Valley State. The Norse are making their second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and ninth overall appearance in the event.
Lewis (31-7) is the third seed and split two-regular-season matches with NKU. The Norse knocked off the Flyers in their last meeting on Nov. 8 to capture a share of the Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division title.
Lewis won its third consecutive GLVC Tournament championship Sunday with a sweep of Southern Indiana. Indianapolis, another GLVC member, also received a berth in the Midwest Regional and will face Northern Michigan in the first round.
The NKU/Lewis winner will face either second-seeded Saginaw Valley State or seventh-seeded Michigan Tech in the semifinals on Saturday. The championship match is scheduled for Sunday.
Times for the matches will be announced Monday.
NCAA Division II Midwest Regional pairings (Times TBD)
(at Allendale, Mich.)
No. 1 Grand Valley State vs. No. 8 Northwood
No. 2 Saginaw Valley State vs. No. 7 Michigan Tech
No. 3 Lewis vs. No. 6 Northern Kentucky
No. 4 Indianapolis vs. No. 5 Northern Michigan
November 16, 2008
MEN'S SOCCER
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It is a rare occasion that a draw is something special, especially in the sport of soccer.
But the Northern Kentucky University men accomplished a feat last seen 20 years ago following a scoreless tie against Lewis in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region championship, winning the penalty-kick shootout, 4-3, to advance to a third straight national quarterfinal.
The Norse (16-2-3) last won in a shootout on Nov. 2, 1988, when the Norse bested Kentucky Wesleyan, 4-3, to advance to the Great Lakes Valley Conference semifinals. All-time, NKU is 3-1 when advancing via the shootout, their only loss coming in their last round of kicks, taken on Oct. 27, 2006, in the GLVC Tournament semifinals, when Wisconsin-Parkside outshot the Norse, 6-5, to make the league championship game.
On Sunday, regulation time was dominated by the Norse, who outshot the Flyers by an 18-10 margin in the game, including a 13-6 edge during the contest's first 90 minutes. Both goalkeepers were stellar, with Lewis's Anthony Szymel making nine saves, while NKU's Michael Lavric stopped five shots on the other end.
The Norse had their chances in the second overtime as well, with Dustin Downey and Steven Beattie each directing shots toward the Lewis net. Anthony Meyer took a shot with 61 seconds left in the game, but sent his drive high and forced penalty kicks.
After the first round of the shootout went according to plan, the Norse got a scare when Mike Jonca failed to convert in the second round. Nestor Hernandez followed him immediately with a miss of his own, when Beattie tied the score at 2-all.
Charlie Bucio came up next for the Flyers, but was unable to put the ball in the net, giving the Norse an opening. Dustin Downey proceeded to make his kick to put the Norse ahead, and Tony Ray followed up in the final round to seal the win.
NKU earned its third consecutive regional championship and advance to the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals, where the Norse will travel to take on Millersville (Pa.), the champions of the Atlantic Region. Millersville posted a 1-0 victory against Slippery Rock on Sunday to win that regional title.
November 16, 2008
WOMEN'S SOCCER
KENOSHA, Wis. - The Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team saw its season come on an end on Sunday after dropping a 1-0 decision at Wisconsin-Parkside in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
It marked the third time the Norse (16-4) lost to the Rangers this season. NKU's only other loss was a 1-0 defeat at Rockhurst on Sept. 28.
UW-Parkside picked up the difference maker in the 27th minute, when Meredith Novak notched her 15th goal of the season with assists from Amanda VandenAvond and Caitlin Moon. Novak scored goals in each of the three meetings between the Rangers and Norse in 2008.
The Norse were outshot overall in the race, 10-7, but edged the Rangers in shots on goal by a 7-4 margin. Despite that, Ranger goalkeeper Cassie Glodowski was on point, making seven saves for the shutout victory.
The loss ends NKU's first run at the NCAA Tournament since 2005 and eighth overall. The last time the Norse advanced out of the regional was 2003, when NKU fell to Nebraska-Omaha in the national quarterfinals, 1-0.
NKU head coach Bob Sheehan finished the season having notched his 200th career win on Friday against Rockhurst. He owns a career record of 200-47-13, maintaining his winning percentage of .794 to keep him among the top 10 active coaches in Division II.
It is the second time since joining the Great Lakes Valley Conference that UW-Parkside has advanced to the round of 16. In 2004, the Rangers defeated Grand Valley State, 1-0, in the opening round of the tournament before falling to Ashland by the same score.
November 16, 2008
MEN’S BASKETBALL
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball head coach Dave Bezold announced Sunday that Elliott County High School standout Ethan Faulkner has signed a national letter of intent to play for the Norse.
Faulkner, a 6-foot-1 guard, averaged 16.1 points, 7.2 assists and 7.0 rebounds last season for Elliott County. He was named all-region as a junior and also earned the 16th Region Tournament most valuable player award. Faulkner is considered one of the top high school players in Kentucky this season.
“Ethan is an outstanding all-around basketball player, because he scores, he plays defense and he knows how to play the game,” Bezold said. “He is a very tough kid who plays with a lot of intensity, and we are very excited he has chosen NKU.”
Faulkner enters his senior season at Elliott County with 1,652 career points and 687 assists. He was named the Eastern Kentucky Conference defensive player of the year last season and is a three-time All-EKC selection.
“I know Ethan is going to be a great addition to our program,” Bezold said. “He can play the point, but he can also really score and knock down shots from the outside.”
November 15, 2008
MEN'S BASKETBALL
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Dustin Maguire poured in a game-high 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Northern Kentucky University to a 72-57 win over Ferris State in The Bank of Kentucky Center on Saturday.
Maguire, a sophomore guard, was 8-for-16 from the field and made all nine of his free-throw attempts as NKU (1-0) won the first regular-season college basketball game in The Bank of Kentucky Center. He netted 14 points in the first half as the Norse built a 38-27 lead.
NKU freshman guard Tony Rack added 16 points off the bench. Rack, a Moeller High School graduate, ignited a 17-5 run in the first half by making a trio of 3-pointers that turned a 12-7 deficit into a 24-17 NKU advantage.
“We started off slowly, but Maguire and Rack rescued us in the first half with their shooting,” NKU head coach Dave Bezold said. “I think Rack really keyed our big spurt in the first half by making those outside shots.”
Billy Finnell (Purcell Marian High School) dished out six assists for NKU, which was 9-for-22 from 3-point range. Leslie Malone added six points, five rebounds and three blocked shots as the Norse improved to 7-0 all-time against Ferris State.
Josh Young scored 18 points for Ferris State, which dropped to 0-1. The Bulldogs were held to 33.3 percent shooting from the field and lost the rebounding battle by a 37-30 margin.
Cincinnati
Xavier
Miami
Northern Kentucky
Thomas More College
Mt. St. Joseph
Kentucky
Cincinnati State
UC-Clermont
Miami-Hamilton
Miami-Middletown
Dayton
Wright State
