NKU women’s soccer team ends Ashland’s unbeaten season in NCAA Division II Tournament

(This story was originally published on Nov. 7, 2001)

Special to The Post

ASHLAND, Ohio — There was no beating around the bush. Just a beating.

The Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team, which received shocking news late Sunday night in the form of a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region Tournament, took it out on No. 2 seed Ashland University, 4-0, Wednesday at the AU Sports Complex. It wasn't even that close as the Norse (20-1) secured their third consecutive 20-win season.

Betsy Moore scored a pair of first-half goals in the NCAA Tournament opener. Moore, who was named Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year last week, opened the scoring at the 28:12 mark with an unassisted goal.

Her second goal, which was assisted by Tricia Ruark, came at the 40:12 mark and gave the Norse a 2-0 halftime advantage.

“We think the world of her,” NKU head coach Bob Sheehan said of Moore, a graduate of McAuley High School in Cincinnati. “She’s great on the dribble, and she can take on people. We have some other flank people who can get out and run, too.”

Hope Bushelman and Bessie Black both added goals in the second half as third-seeded NKU (20-1) handed second-seeded Ashland (16-1-1) its first loss of the season. Megan Zalla picked up the shutout for NKU and finished with four saves.

“We made two critical mistakes and they cost us,” Ashland head coach John Hall said. “They (NKU) punish you. I thought our defense handled them well, but when you make silly mistakes you’re going to get punished. We did.”

The Norse advance to meet top-seeded Mercyhurst (Pa.) College (15-2-1) at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Erie, Pa. NKU and Mercyhurst met earlier this season at Wilder, Ky., and the Lakers posted a 1-0 victory against the Norse.

It will be the third consecutive season that NKU and Mercyhurst have met in the NCAA Division II Tournament. During the past two seasons, NKU has defeated Mercyhurst to earn berths in the NCAA Division II Final Four.

NKU will have plenty of motivation on Sunday, just as the Norse did on Wednesday.

“(Being a No. 3 seed) was a big disappointment,” Moore said. “After we found out about the seedings on Sunday, we had to pick it up. It made us mad, and it motivated us more to beat people.”

The winner of Sunday’s contest will advance to meet the winner of the Central Region (Truman State University is the No. 1 seed) on either Nov. 17 or Nov. 18 in the Elite Eight.

NKU 4, AU 0—GOALS: Moore, 2, Bushelman, Black. SHUTOUT: Zalla (4 saves). RECORDS: NKU 20-1, Ashland 16-1-1.

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