Northern Kentucky’s men’s soccer team defeated Wright State 1-0 in double-overtime Tuesday on a Golden Goal by Diego Martinez, handing the program its first conference win as members of the Horizon League.
“Tonight they went out and worked, they have to work,” head coach John Basalyga said. “When we work we can take teams out of their game. I told them all week long don’t lose two in a row and don’t go on the field and not work. We beat a very good Wright State team on their field, it’s a good win for our program still being very young in Division I.”
The Saints’ (4-3-0, 1-0 Horizon League) Martinez got the unassisted game winner in the 108th minute. Martinez took the ball across midfield then briefly got tangled up with a defender, the sophomore then spun and worked his way to the top of the box where he fired a shot beating the keeper straight away.
Goalkeeper A.J. Fleak recorded his fourth shutout of the season, finishing the match with eight saves on 22 shots faced. Fleak came up big in the second half and both overtimes to keep the Norse alive. In the second half, Fleak notched four saves, including two times where he charged out of the goal in a one-on-one to clear the ball and keep the Raiders (6-2-0, 1-1 Horizon League) off of the board. In the first overtime, Fleak hauled in one save, fending off a shot by Wright State’s Peguy Ngatcha.
NKU finished the match taking 10 shots with three on goal and taking three corner kicks. Wright State finished the match taking 22 shots with eight on goal and 15 corner kicks. Wright State goal keeper Tyler Blackmer finished the match with two saves.
Northern Kentucky returns to action on Saturday in a Horizon League tilt at Detroit with kickoff slated for 1 p.m. For more information on the men’s soccer program and all Norse athletics please visit NKUNorse.com. You can also get updates on the team throughout the season by following @NKUNorseMSOC on Facebook and Twitter.
Norse Notes
– This was NKU’s first overtime win since it defeated Wright State 4-3 on Sept. 23, 2014 at the NKU Soccer Complex. This was the Norse’s second double-overtime match of the season. NKU is now 3-8-0 all-time against the Raiders.
– Senior NKU goalkeeper A.J. Fleak now has 14 shutouts in his career as a Norse.
– Diego Martinez’s goal was his first of the season. Martinez last notched a Golden Goal in NKU’s 1-0 double-overtime win over Stetson on Nov. 1, 2014.
Norse women’s golf team finishes 15th
The Northern Kentucky women’s golf team continued improving, lowering its score for the second-straight round after posting a 308 in the final round of the Cardinal Classic hosted by Ball State University en route to earning 15th-place.
The Norse opened with rounds of 330 and 316 on Day 1 before shedding eight strokes for its 308 on Tuesday and three-round total of 954.
Ryleigh Waltz carded a second-consecutive 76 to finish t-24th at 14-over.
The Norse received countable scores from Sarah Kellam (76), Allison Leigeb (78) and Macy Wright (78) on Tuesday. Leigeb earned a share of 60th and Wright finished t-65th. Kellam closed t-68th.
MacKenzie Laumann shot a final round 84 and finished t-75th.
Northern Kentucky will take a week off of competitive action before returning to the course in Maineville, Ohio, for Cincinnati’s Bearcat Fall Classic on Oct. 5-6.
Norse Notes
– Waltz has been NKU’s top finisher in two of the team’s three events this fall. She shared the honor with Kellam in the season-opening YSU Kickoff Classic and now in the Cardinal Classic. Leigeb bested Waltz in the NKU Fall Classic.
– Northern Kentucky is off to a great start to the season, posting a 318 through the first three events (eight rounds). NKU’s record is 319.96, which was posted by the 2004-05 squad over 23 rounds.
From NKU Athletics