A second-half header from Kelsey Laumann provided the No. 3-seed Northern Kentucky University women’s soccer team with all the firepower it needed in a 1-0 victory over No. 6-seed Cleveland State Monday in the quarterfinals of the Horizon League Championship.
With the victory, Northern Kentucky (11-5-1) moves on to the semifinals of the league championship in Milwaukee, Wis. On Thursday, the Norse will face Oakland, which earned the No. 2 seed and defeated NKU 1-0 in the first meeting.
Macy Hamblin fed Payton Naylor up the left side of the 18-yard box. Naylor played a cross to the waiting Laumann who placed a header off of a Viking defender and over the out-stretched arms of goalkeeper Jamie Daniels for the lone goal of the game.
Brooke Schocker came through with a defensive gem in the 82nd minute. NKU’s keeper climbed the ladder on a 25-yard strike from Ashley Thiss to punch the attempt over the crossbar. Schocker finished the contest with three saves.
The first 45 minutes of action were played to a scoreless draw, but not without a few scoring threats for both teams. Cleveland State threatened first when Thiss fired a shot inside the 18-yard box, but Schocker deflected the attempt. Vicki Havas’ strike off the rebound went wide ride.
Northern Kentucky strung together several attacks in the opening stanza, but none more challenging than when Jessica Frey broke loose on a long ball. Daniels came off her line to challenge Frey and forced the sophomore’s attempt wide left.
Norse Notes
— Laumann’s goal was her fourth of the season and second game winner.
— Hamblin fired six shots on the day to lead a Norse squad that finished with a 15-11 advantage in attempts.
— The shutout marked the seventh clean sheet of the season for Northern Kentucky and fifth shutout credited solely to Schocker.
— This marks the second-straight season in which NKU has reached the semifinals of its league tournament. The Norse defeated North Florida, 2-0, in the Atlantic Sun quarterfinals last season before falling to eventual champion Florida Gulf Coast in the semis.
From NKU Athletics