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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The red hot IUPUI women's soccer team will travel to Northern Kentucky for a Horizon League showdown on Saturday night (Oct. 6) at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+. IUPUI (5-6-3, 2-1-1 HL) comes in having won three straight and blanked its last four opponents. During that span, junior goalkeeper Sophia Lipka's goals against average has dropped from 1.61 to the present 1.13. The Indianapolis-native matched her season-high with 11 stops in the Jaguars' 4-0 win at Illinois State earlier this week. 

After a slow start to the season, the IUPUI attack has shown signs of life of late, coming off a season-high four goal outing on Monday. Sophomore Valentine Pursey scored her third goal of the season for the game-winner and senior Jessica Flores added some insurance. Freshman Elizabeth Bueckers followed with back-to-back goals for her first career multi-goal game. The Milwaukee-native was already the reigning Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week after contributing to both of the Jaguars' game-winners the week prior. 

For the year, sophomore forward Miranda Ricks has a team-high 11 points (2 goals, 7 assists) and Bueckers is close behind with 10 points (4 goals, 2 assists). Pursey and Flores are the only other IUPUI players with multiple goals while junior Emma Chambers has four assists from her midfield position. 

Ironically, IUPUI and Northern Kentucky met twice in six days last season, beginning with a 1-1 double overtime draw in the regular season finale on Oct. 27. Pursey scored a go-ahead goal in the 83rd minute, only to see NKU answer in the 85th minute to send the game to overtime. Lipka made eight saves in that contest. Six days later, they met again in the Horizon League Tournament semifinals in Milwaukee as the Jaguars answered the bell in a 3-2 come-from-behind victory. IUPUI trailed 1-0 at the half before pulling even on Pursey's 11th score of the year in the 49th minute. The Norse took a 2-1 lead in the 79th minute before Pursey capitalized on a PK chance in the 84th minute. Pursey added the game-winner and completed the hat trick in the 89th minute when she flicked a header past the NKU keeper off Sarah Jacobs' long free kick. 

HL STANDINGS (as of 10/4/2018):
1. Milwaukee - 4-0 (12 pts.)
t-2. Northern Kentucky - 3-0-1 (10 pts.)
t-2. Cleveland State - 3-0-1 (10 pts.)
t-4. IUPUI - 2-1-1 (7 pts.)
t-4. Wright State - 2-1-1 (7 pts.)
6. Oakland - 1-1-2 (5 pts.)
7. UIC - 1-3 (3 pts.)
t-8. Detroit Mercy - 0-3-1 (1 pt.)
t-8. Green Bay - 0-3-1 (1 pt.)
10. Youngstown State - 0-4 (0 pts.)

QUOTABLE: "We knew going it they'd be a hard team but our girls didn't shut down. My defense played solid as always and played as tough as they could with all of the players that ISU threw forward. It's always nice to be able to have games where I can back up my defense like they do for me every other time. That's the kind of heart we need every game moving forward," Lipka said following Monday's shutout at Illinois State. 

MAKING THE GRADE: IUPUI was recognized on Wednesday (Oct. 4) with the United Soccer Coaches 2017-18 College Team Academic Award. To qualify, a team must have a collective GPA of 3.0 or better. IUPUI was one of 192 programs (four in the HL) to be honored on both the men's and women's sides. 

SCOUTING NKU: Northern Kentucky comes into play at 7-3-1 overall and 3-0-1 in Horizon League play with wins over Green Bay, Youngstown State and Detroit Mercy. Defensively, Emily Lohmann has a 0.87 goals against average, having allowed just 10 goals in 11 games this season. She's stopped 80 percent of the shots she's faced and registered five shutouts. Emily Soltes leads the NKU attack with four goals and four assists while Shawna Zaken (4 goals, 3 assists) and Samantha Duwel (3 goals, 5 assists) are tied for second on the team with 11 points.  

INSIDE THE SERIES: IUPUI is 1-1-1 all-time against NKU as the two sides played to a 1-1 draw in last year's regular season finale before the Jaguars eliminated the Norse in the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament, 3-2.   

NEXT UP: IUPUI will take on Wright State on Saturday, Oct. 13 at 7:00 p.m. in Dayton, Ohio.