Live Stats

INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI women's soccer team will host a critical season finale on Friday night (Oct. 27) when the Jaguars take on Northern Kentucky (9-5-1, 6-1-1 Horizon) at Carroll Stadium at 7:00 p.m.. The contest has major seeding implications as the victor could earn a regular season title and a bye in the upcoming Horizon League Tournament. IUPUI (13-5, 6-2-0 Horizon) can finish no lower than third heading into the postseason. 

IUPUI will recognize the senior class of Sarah Jacobs, Krissy Kirkhoff, Hannah March, Val Ostrowski, Beth Parks, Leia Peterman and Hayley Shelton immediately following Friday's match. 

The Jaguars come in reeling, having dropped recent road decisions at Milwaukee (6-0) and Oakland (2-1) for the team's first two league losses of the year. Kirkhoff tallied her sixth score of the year in the closing minutes of the Oakland game, but the Jaguars were unable to get equal after falling into a two-goal hole. The Indianapolis-native leads the Jaguars in points (22) and assists (10) and is second on the team with six goals. Freshman Valentine Pursey has a team-high eight goals (five game-winners) while Shelton has four goals and seven assists from the IUPUI midfield. Freshman Miranda Ricks is fourth on the team in scoring with three goals and two assists. 

Defensively, the Jags remain stout, posting a 1.15 goals against average and nine shutouts this season. Starting goalkeeper Sophia Lipka, who has missed the past four games due to injury, is among the nation's best with a 0.63 GAA and .873 save percentage. The Indianapolis-native has nine shutouts in her 14 starts. 

In front of her, freshman Natalie McNally has asserted herself as one of the league's elite center backs and sophomore Jenna Sterr has become a stabilizing force on the outside. 

SENIOR SNAPSHOTS: IUPUI will recognize it's seven-member senior class immediately following Friday night's match. Below is a quick statistical look at each of the seven. 
    Sarah Jacobs - 66 career games, 33 career starts (3 goals-2 assists-8 points, 1 game-winner)
    Krissy Kirkhoff - 65 career games, 64 career starts (29 goals-21 assists-79 points, 9 game-winners)
    Hannah March - 33 career games (1 goal-2 points)
    Val Ostrowski - 13 career games (was unable to play after 2014 season due to injury)
    Beth Parks - 41 career games, 4 career starts (1 goal-2 assists-4 points)
    Leia Peterman - 68 career games, 42 career starts (2 goals-6 assists-10 points)
    Hayley Shelton - 66 career games, 60 career starts (8 goals-18 assists-34 points, 3 game-winners)

SCOREBOARD WATCHING: IUPUI will be taking vested interest in the Friday night match between Milwaukee and Cleveland State, being played in Cleveland. A CSU win and IUPUI win would vault the Jaguars to a regular season title in the program's first season of Horizon League membership. That match will be broadcast on ESPN3, beginning at 6:00 p.m. 

HAT TRICKS: Pursey posted the eighth hat trick in school history in the 4-3 win over Wright State and is the seventh player in school history to score three goals in a game. That list includes Sarah Leonard, Karrie Reising (twice), Cat Raster, Tori Minnich, Kirkhoff and Tara Latella. It was the first hat trick by an IUPUI player in league play since Sarah Leonard scored three goals against Youngstown State in October 2001.  

KIRKHOFF TAKES OVER: Kirkhoff recently took over as the program's all-time points leader with her two-goal performance against Fort Wayne. The Indianapolis-native now has 79 career points (29 goals, 21 assists), surpassing the previous mark of 74 held by Megan Hock (2008-11). Kirkhoff also holds the program's all-time record for assists (21) while Shelton is currently second all-time with 18. She is third on the program's all-time list in goals scored (29), trailing only Hock (32) and Karrie Reising (31). 

TEAM ACADEMIC AWARD: IUPUI captured the program's eighth straight United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) Team Academic Award on Oct. 5. It's the 12th time in program history the Jags have been recognized and the program's 3.72 grade point average ranked third among the nation's Division I programs. 

SCOUTING NKU: NKU is 9-5-1 this season and 4-2-1 away from home. The Norse have a formidable goal scoring duo in Macy Hamblin (9 goals, 3 assists) and Jessica Frey (10 goals, 3 assists). The duo has combined on 121 of NKU's 209 shot attempts, putting a combined 53 on frame. Behind them, Payton Naylor has six assists and Ally Perkins has two goals and five assists. Defensively, NKU has a team goals against average of 1.05 as starting goalkeeper Emily Lohmann has a 0.93 GAA with 61 saves and two shutouts. Lohmann has all nine of NKU's wins in net. NKU hasn't lost on the road in Horizon League play this season with its last road defeat coming at Xavier (2-1) on Sept. 10. 

INSIDE THE SERIES: IUPUI is 0-1 all-time against Northern Kentucky, having dropped a 1-0 decision to the Norse in September 2014 at Carroll Stadium. IUPUI has never faced NKU in Highland Heights. 

UP NEXT: IUPUI will begin Horizon League Tournament play, either hosting a match on Monday night (Oct. 30) at Carroll Stadium or competing in the Horizon League Semifinals on Thursday, Nov. 2.