LOUISVILLE, Ky. --- With the GLVC Championship on the line, the No. 21 Bellarmine University women's soccer team played the No. 9 Northern Kentucky Norse even for 110 min to come away with a 1-1 draw on Wednesday night.
The tie gives Northern Kentucky (14-1-1, 12-1-1 GLVC) the regular season championship and top seed in the conference tournament, while Bellarmine will be the No. 2 seed and host Indianapolis (11-7, 9-6 GLVC) in the opening round.
The first half was as expected, with both teams playing physical defense while not allowing the other team to get into any offensive rhythm. The Knights nearly scored first in the 25th minute as sophomore
Christina Kapsalis connected on a header off a free kick that sailed just wide of the goal. The teams headed into the break scoreless as rain started to fall at Owsley B. Frazier Stadium.
The visitors from up the road in Highland Heights struck first at the 50:18 mark as Allison Ponzer rebounded a shot from Kristi Hofmeyer that hit the post, and sent into the net for the 1-0 lead.
Bellarmine tied things up in the 67th minute after
Danielle Kamenec sent a cross into the box from 25 yards out that junior
Alex Kowalski headed home for her sixth goal of the season. Kowalski is now tied for the team lead in goals along with freshman
Abby Janszen.
Taking the fight to highly ranked Northern Kentucky, Bellarmine kept their foot on the gas in overtime and drawing praise from head coach Jonathan Velotta. “It was an extremely physical game and I was proud of the way we handled things,” he said. “We showed a great deal of concentration and toughness going up against such a quality team like Northern Kentucky.”
Statistically, the game was even as well with NKU owning a 16-12 advantage in shots and keepers
Amy Kunowski and Cassi Lingenhoel each making two saves.
“I thought our execution on defense was tremendous and it started with
Abby Schuhmann,” said Velotta. “She's a player that has won a lot awards in her Bellarmine career, but I think that was the best game I've seen her play due to her outstanding leadership on the field.”
Now the Knights will get a chance at redemption as they take on Indianapolis in the GLVC Tournament. The Greyhounds handed Bellarmine one of their two losses on the season, a 2-0 defeat on Oct. 7. Game time is set for 2:30 PM on Sunday at Owsley B. Frazier Stadium.
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