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INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI women's soccer team was upended in its Horizon League opener on Friday (Sept. 20) by Northern Kentucky, 2-0. The Jags scheduled an unusual 11:00 a.m. kickoff time and invited hundreds of local elementary school students, but NKU (4-4, 1-0 HL) silenced the screaming masses, tallying a goal in each half to send the Jags to their first home loss of the season. 

NKU's Kailey Ivins netted the game-winner on a header in the 33rd minute and Shawna Zaken added late insurance with a strike in the 71st minute. Megan Sullivan assisted on both NKU scores and the Norse defense blanked the IUPUI (5-3-1, 0-1 HL) attack, which had scored at least one goal in all but one game entering play. 

IUPUI had only itself to blame as the Jags' offense came up empty on a number of quality scoring chances before halftime. 

The Jags' best chance came when Renae Blevins played a nifty pass to Elizabeth Bueckers into space and her initial toe poke was stopped by NKU keeper Mimi Stines. Both Bueckers and Stines raced for the rebound, but Stines slammed the door from point blank range as well in the 16th minute. Stines had previously stopped drives from Valentine Pursey and Maya Lacognato in the game's opening minutes and registered four of her six saves in the opening 16 minutes. 

NKU finally broke through when Ivins headed a Sullivan corner kick just over the end line before it was cleared away by a defender, but the linesman ruled the ball had crossed for the day's first goal. IUPUI, which had gone down a goal in each of the past two matches as well, seemed unfazed in attempting to find the equalizer. 

However, the NKU defense remained stingy in the second half. 

Bueckers rolled a cross through the NKU six-yard box for Emma Chambers early in the second half, but the IUPUI midfielder was unable to get on the connecting end. Later, Blevins had a shot rip off the crossbar as she was seeking her second score of the year. 

NKU ended much suspense in the 71st minute when Zaken took a feed from Sullivan and had a breakaway with a runner to the far post against IUPUI goalkeeper Sophia Lipka and defender Jenna Sterr. However, Zaken called her own number and drilled a shot just inside the near post for her sixth score of the season. 

Lipka finished with three saves in the loss and Stines made six saves in the shutout win. 

Zaken led all players with six shot attempts while Buckers, Blevins, Chambers, Lacognato and Miranda Ricks had three each for the Jags. Bueckers had a team-high two shots on goal as IUPUI put just six of 16 attempts on frame. IUPUI outshot NKU 16-13. 

IUPUI will be back in action on Sunday (Sept. 22) when the Jags face Evansville at 2:00 p.m. Eastern from UE's Arad McCutchan Stadium.